Florida Orders Removal of License Plate Cameras From State Highways

Florida has ordered the removal of license plate reader cameras from all state-maintained highways. This includes cameras made by the company Flock, which are widely used by police departments.

The order came from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the state agency responsible for roads. FDOT says every license plate reader must be taken off roads that the state controls and maintains.

These cameras automatically scan car license plates as vehicles drive past. Police use the technology to track vehicles connected to crimes, missing people, or other investigations. Many law enforcement agencies across the country rely on this kind of surveillance tool.

One Florida sheriff has responded to the ban by looking for a workaround, a way to get around the new restriction without breaking the rule. It is not clear from current reports exactly what this workaround might involve.

Police departments often argue that license plate readers help them solve crimes quickly by tracking suspicious vehicles. Critics, however, worry that these cameras collect large amounts of data on ordinary drivers who are not suspected of anything.

The FDOT order applies specifically to state-maintained roads, meaning highways that the state government, rather than a city or county, is responsible for keeping in good condition. It remains unclear whether cameras on local or county roads will be affected.

This decision could change how Florida police departments track vehicles going forward, and other sheriffs may also look for alternative ways to keep using similar technology within the new legal limits set by the state.