NWFL law enforcement reacts to the removal of Flock cameras across the state
The short version: FDOT's permit revocation is forcing Florida sheriffs to publicly defend Flock cameras, exposing just how little regulation ever existed in the first place.
Our Take
Credit to RickieBobbieNO26 for getting local law enforcement on camera reacting to FDOT pulling permits for Flock's ALPR network on state rights-of-way. What's notable isn't that police want the cameras back — of course they do — it's what their reaction reveals: these systems were running for years without the "clearer guidelines" Sheriff Chip Simmons now says he wants. That's the pattern nationwide. Deploy first, ask about safeguards later, and only when a state agency forces the issue.
Simmons framing the cameras as useful for catching felons and homicide suspects isn't in dispute — nobody denies ALPRs can help solve specific cases. The real question is what happens to the other 99.9% of plates scanned that belong to people who aren't suspects in anything. Florida's move shows that even friendly jurisdictions can hit pause when privacy complaints and misuse reports pile up. That pause is the whole point of pushing back — it's often the only moment real guardrails get written instead of promised.
If you want to see whether this kind of camera is watching your own commute, check our map. And if your city or county is debating a Flock contract or renewal right now, our take-action page has the tools to make your voice heard before the cameras go up, not after.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of RickieBobbieNO26, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.