TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Tallahassee residents shared their concerns surrounding Flock cameras.
The topic was not on the agenda for Wednesday’s Tallahassee City Commission meeting, but several citizens took to the podium, sparking lengthy debate.
The discussion came just a day after the Tallahassee Police Department and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office announced the launch of public transparency portals for Flock technology.
TPD and LCSO said the portals are designed to provide the community with a centralized resource to understand how license plate reader technology is used by each agency. It also provides access to data related to reads, searches and hits.
Both agencies said the cameras can help law enforcement with locating vehicles associated with criminal investigations or missing people.
Several residents spoke out against the cameras at the City Commission meeting, saying the cameras violate their privacy.
Commissioner Jeremy Matlow said he’d also like to see the cameras go at some point. Matlow motioned to end the city’s involvement with Flock, but later rescinded the motion.
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Leslie Rabon, the executive director of Tallahassee’s Real Time Crime Center said the cameras have helped LCSO locate more than 120 stolen vehicles in the past year.
She also highlighted the new transparency portals.
“So, this system allows us to take those frequently asked questions, but also allows us to upload,” Rabon said. “We get a frequent question of how many cameras do you have? Where are those cameras located? So, this platform allows us to now give that information to the public before they ask for it. And it will allow them to see where we’re planning to put assets in the near future.”
TPD Chief Lawrence Revell also spoke about the cameras at Wednesday’s commission meeting. He highlighted what he says has been a positive impact on the community and emphasizing that there is no expected privacy for residents in public spaces.
Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil issued a statement on Wednesday pushing for accreditation standards requiring audits of automated license plate recognition technology.
The request seeks to establish consistent oversight for law enforcement agencies, require audits and identify potential misuse of the system.
“License plate recognition technology can be an invaluable law enforcement tool,” McNeil said. “But the value of any technology does not eliminate our responsibility to use it appropriately. These systems should never be abused or used outside their lawful purpose.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis raised concerns about Flock on Wednesday, saying the growing use of the readers by law enforcement is “out of control.”
This comes after several law enforcement officers around Florida and Georgia have been accused of misusing the Flock camera system.
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