Flock off? Ron DeSantis says automated license plate readers ‘out of control,’ warns of ‘surveillanc
Posted: 8/31/2026 3:55:35 PM EDT
[Last Edit: badredfish][Edited]
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Gov. Ron DeSantis is taking an emphatic position against automated license plate reader cameras. He’s now calling for legislative action to curb the devices around the state, like those from Flock Safety and other vendors. “I think these cameras, the license plate readers, I think it’s out of control,” DeSantis said at Florida International University in Miami. As reported last year by GovTech, at least 100 law enforcement agencies in the state use Flock license plate reader (LPR) cameras. That’s part of a national network estimated at more than 100,000 cameras, a sprawl the grassroots group DeFlock, which opposes the technology, has been documenting on a crowdsourced public map. There are nearly 7,500 LPRs in Florida, according to WUFT. DeSantis worries that the increasingly ubiquitous devices threaten civil liberties and could lead to a “surveillance state.” While he acknowledges that state agencies use the tools, he says the bulk of the action is with “Police Departments and Sheriff’s Departments, by and large.” “I’m all about having law enforcement have tools to be able to hold criminals accountable. I think that’s important that we do that. And no one’s been stronger on law enforcement than me. But I don’t want to have this become a surveillance state,” DeSantis said. He noted that Flock relies on artificial intelligence, whose excesses he tried to address via the AI bill of rights, legislation that the Senate passed but the House would not consider. “Whether it’s online with digital surveillance or whether it’s with cameras, at what point are we just going to be free to be not have to deal with any of that? And so I think it needs to be overhauled for sure,” DeSantis said, urging citizens to ask people running for office where they stand on the technology. He noted that New Hampshire bans the installation of the cameras along public roads, suggesting that could be model legislation for Florida. While law enforcement using them in vehicles is permissible, the data must be purged quickly. DeSantis spoke about a recent, widely reported incident of a Florida police officer using Flock for surveillance of an estranged wife. “What the hell’s going on with this?” DeSantis said, recounting his reaction to seeing that news. “I think this has happened very quickly. I think people are right to be concerned.” Various cities and counties in the state have explored bans on the technology, and DeSantis’ dictate may solidify resistance on the right. Meanwhile, the Florida Democrats take a skeptical view. “Republicans have been in charge for 30 years, and instead of protecting Floridians’ privacy, they allowed this technology to spread without meaningful safeguards. Now the governor wants credit for sounding the alarm,” said Chair Nikki Fried. “David Jolly has been clear on where he stands: police should need a warrant before they can use your Flock camera data, full stop. Floridians shouldn’t have to guess whether their government needs permission to track their every move.” DeSantis has latitude to call a Special Session with the current Legislature, though the House under Speaker Daniel Perez declined to take up the AI bill of rights this year. He could also wait until after November, when Wyman Duggan, who is the Speaker Pro Tempore currently leading the House, and new Senate leadership may be more receptive to a revamped version. DeSantis’ office says there is no “intel” as of yet regarding plans to do that. https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2026/08/26/desantis-calls-flock-camera-surveillance-out-of-control-urges-legislative-action/ Florida is removing Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras from state roadways following an order by Governor Ron DeSantis.Key Details of the Florida Flock Camera CrackdownState Roadway Removal: Governor DeSantis ordered all Flock and similar automated license plate reader (LPR) cameras removed from the state highway system (including interstates like I-10 and I-75) within 30 days.Permits Revoked: The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) announced the revocation of LPR permits and licenses previously provided to law enforcement for state roads.Local Agency Rollbacks: Following the state's lead, local law enforcement agencies and sheriff's offices—such as in Duval, Walton, Franklin, and Liberty counties—began discontinuing use or removing cameras from local rights-of-way.Privacy Concerns: Governor DeSantis criticized the expansion of digital surveillance as "out of control," pushing for stricter legislative guardrails and an AI Bill of Rights to limit government tracking. |
B Double-O M Spells BOOM - BF
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Yesterday, Florida DOT send out a memorandum on behalf of the Governor giving agencies 30 days to remove Flock cameras installed along state roads. Many Police Departments and Sheriff's Offices have suspended their use of Flock. My county commission is considering an outright ban on Flock cameras countywide. |
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So, now will there be a refund for the $$s they spent on those things or is that money just gone and wasted? Every time I drive down SR90 and see those damn things in the middle of nowhere I think about how many damn dollars our sheriff wasted on those things, and it just makes my blood boil. |
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I'm glad to see this happening but it went on too long. If Governor D can get this done by EO why the wait? Could it have something to do with his run for 1600? Yup...just like his push on property tax reform....right down to the wire. |
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Originally Posted By Miami_JBT: Of course Grady Judd is furious that the surveillance state is being dismantled. https://i.imgur.com/NUiEovd.jpeg  |
Now with more political fatigue.
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Originally Posted By Kalashnikov762: I'm glad to see this happening but it went on too long. If Governor D can get this done by EO why the wait? Could it have something to do with his run for 1600? Yup...just like his push on property tax reform....right down to the wire. It is a good strategy. Trump frontloaded all of his accomplishments in the first year of his term. Now the base is depressed before the mid terms. Trump needs some easy wins, but all of the low hanging fruit is gone. |
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Originally Posted By Miami_JBT: Of course Grady Judd is furious that the surveillance state is being dismantled. https://i.imgur.com/NUiEovd.jpeg I never understood why this Sheriff is so popular...especialy out of state. Almost to the level of Joe Arpiro in AZ. |
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Originally Posted By Kalashnikov762: I never understood why this Sheriff is so popular...especialy out of state. Almost to the level of Joe Arpiro in AZ. |
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Originally Posted By Kalashnikov762: I'm glad to see this happening but it went on too long. If Governor D can get this done by EO why the wait? Could it have something to do with his run for 1600? Yup...just like his push on property tax reform....right down to the wire. That's how DeSantis operates. Remember, he only really started pushing pro-gun issues when he was gearing up to run for the White House in 2024. He needed a 2A feather for his campaign capt. And even then, his push was the bare minimum. He only started pushing open carry after I painted him into that corner. And with open carry, he never followed through. He said he was going to call a special session, he never did. Instead, we got open carry through the courts. DeSantis is by far the best Governor Florida has had in a long time. But let's be clear, that was a VERY LOW BAR to overcome compared to the people who came before him. Hell, Georgia opened back up before Florida did during COVID. People also seem to have forgotten when DeSantis ordered FHP to the state border and directed them to turn away certain travelers coming into Florida. He's going to run again in 2028. His campaign operation is basically turnkey ready. The building is still there in Tallahassee, fully equipped, with a caretaker crew keeping things running. He's also been building up a campaign war chest for 2028. A lot of DeSantis' successes also happened because he had the Legislature behind him. In 2022 and 2023, he had something very valuable to dangle in front of legislators: the prospect of appointments if he won the White House. At the time, Trump was politically vulnerable, and DeSantis was actively selling himself as the Republican alternative. Behind the scenes, there were expectations of federal appointments, ambassadorships, judgeships, and other positions if DeSantis became President. That gave legislators plenty of incentive to stay on his good side. The Disney fight, permitless concealed-only carry, the anti-riot legislation, and plenty of his other victories happened while the Legislature was largely willing to give him what he wanted. Then 2024 happened. DeSantis crashed and burned in the presidential primary, and suddenly there was no DeSantis administration waiting in Washington with appointments to hand out. The Legislature dropped him pretty damn quickly. That helps explain what we've watched over the last two years. DeSantis has increasingly done things that make the Legislature look bad, while much of the Legislature moved toward Team Trump instead of Team DeSantis. Now DeSantis has a problem. If he wants another shot at the White House in 2028, he needs to leave the Governor's Mansion with Florida Republicans firmly behind him. He can't afford to spend six to eight months out of office, outside the limelight, and watch that support move somewhere else. So now we're seeing a lot of things happen at the last minute. It isn't difficult to figure out why. |
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Originally Posted By Miami_JBT: Of course Grady Judd is furious that the surveillance state is being dismantled. https://i.imgur.com/NUiEovd.jpeg
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