Volusia County Approves 12-Month Moratorium on Flock Cameras

The Volusia County Council on Tuesday approved a 12-month moratorium on license plate reader (LPR) cameras at county rights of way. These cameras, most notably those from Flock Safety, have attracted widespread criticism in recent months over privacy concerns. The moratorium will halt any new permits being issued for the installation of LPR cameras on roads controlled by the county. Additionally, the agencies and permittees who have received these permits in the past will be given a 30-day notice to remove them. During the 12-month moratorium, the county government plans to evaluate changes at the state level to guide future action in Volusia County. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in August disallowed LPR cameras on state roads and directed local law enforcement to remove cameras that were already installed. At the end of August, Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood agreed to suspend the VSO’s usage of LPR cameras. Still, he speculated that “there are criminals who will be celebrating this” and made the case that the Volusia Sheriff’s Office has made key arrests using LPRs as a tool. Chitwood lobbied the County Council to pass a moratorium on LPR cameras as opposed to a ban. In his remarks, he sought an avenue to resume usage if laws are passed at the state level which provide guardrails for the cameras that factor in privacy and safety concerns. A Reuters/Ipsos poll published last month found that 38% of adults support Flock cameras in their communities while 47% oppose them. The cameras appear to gain popularity with higher respondent ages, as 53% of those 55 or older supported the cameras. The poll also found 54% of Republicans support Flock cameras, compared to 35% of Democrats and 29% of Independents.