WINTER HAVEN, FL — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office will continue using automated license plate readers throughout the county, except for those located on state highway rights-of-way that must now be removed under a Florida Department of Transportation directive.
Sheriff Grady Judd said Tuesday that PCSO has already begun removing affected license plate readers and expects to complete the process well within FDOT’s 30-day deadline.
However, Polk County is not abandoning the technology. “LPRs, when used properly and securely, significantly contribute to public safety,” Sheriff Judd said. “They help us solve crime, locate criminals and find missing and endangered children and adults. They help keep our communities safe.”
“We will continue to use LPRs not located on state road rights-of-way,” Sheriff Judd said.
The response differs from Volusia County, where Sheriff Mike Chitwood announced that his agency is shutting down its license plate readers entirely, effective immediately. Chitwood said the technology has been an important public safety tool but that recent orders and statements from the governor and FDOT have made LPRs “no longer workable in Florida” without further clarity from state lawmakers.
Meanwhile, the Tampa Police Department is taking an approach similar to Polk County. Tampa will remove 17 ALPRs located within State Highway System rights-of-way within the required 30-day period while continuing to use and oversee the technology where permitted.
But as Polk County continues using the cameras, another question remains: Does the will of the people matter?
A recent Eye In The Sky News poll asked readers, “Are you in favor of law enforcement using Flock cameras in your community?”
Of 2,805 votes cast, 2,212 people, or 79%, said no, while 593 people, or 21%, said yes.
For now, despite that opposition and FDOT’s decision to remove the technology from state highway rights-of-way, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office says its LPRs located elsewhere will remain in use. Nothing further at this time.
SOURCE: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
