TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Sheriff Walt McNeil has ordered the Leon County Sheriff’s Office to immediately stop using automated license plate recognition technology while the agency awaits additional oversight, guidance or regulation from law enforcement accrediting bodies.
The suspension, announced in a release dated Aug. 31, 2026, comes after McNeil formally asked the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies to create accreditation standards that would require agencies using the technology to regularly audit how it is used and publicly report the results of those audits.
“License plate recognition technology has proven to be a valuable law enforcement tool, helping investigators solve crimes, locate missing and endangered persons, recover stolen vehicles and identify suspects who might otherwise be difficult to find,” McNeil said. “However, the value of this technology does not eliminate our responsibility to ensure it is used appropriately and with strong safeguards in place.”
“Until additional oversight and accountability measures are established, I believe suspending our use of this technology is the responsible course of action,” McNeil said. “Public safety and public trust must go hand in hand.”
The sheriff’s office said it will continue working with accreditation partners and will monitor developing standards and guidance on the appropriate use, auditing and oversight of license plate recognition technology. Media contact for the announcement was Shonda Knight.