PALATKA, Fla. — Several local law enforcement agencies, including the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, are removing the controversial license plate readers that have raised widespread privacy concerns.
The announcements in Jacksonville, Clay, Nassau, Baker and Putnam counties come after the Florida Department of Transportation issued a memo Monday revoking all approved permits for Automatic License Plate Reader Cameras (ALPR’s) in the right-of-ways on the state highway system.
“Thank god,” said Reggie Murdoch of Putnam County. “I mean you don’t have no privacy no more. So it doesn’t matter where you go or what you do. Somebody’s watching something.”
The memo comes amid privacy concerns from citizens about how the data was being used.
Tiffany Johnson of Putnam County is one of those concerned citizens.
“You shouldn’t be filmed or pictures took of you everywhere you go,” said Johnson. “You should be able to drive around without being surveyed.”
Governor Ron DeSantis was asked about FLOCK cameras today during his visit to Jacksonville.
“I’ve called for legislation that will protect Floridians from allowing the state to turn into some type of digital prison, digital surveillance state where somebody knows everything about what you’re doing every day of the week,” Governor DeSantis said.
You can read FDOT’s memo here.
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