Some of South Florida's mayors pushed back against the removal of automatic license plate readers after the Florida Department of Transportation revoked active permits for the systems.
The FDOT issued a memorandum on Monday, Aug. 31, announcing that it revoked active permits issued to local law enforcement agencies for automatic license plate recognition systems, such as Flock cameras, installed along state rights-of-way. Local authorities were provided with a 30-day window to remove them.
Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner signed a letter sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis and FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue expressing "strong opposition" to the withdrawal of permits for LPR systems.
The letter, sent on Sept. 1, was signed by Isaac Salver, the mayor of Bay
Harbor Islands, Seth E. Salver, the mayor of Bal Harbour Village, Howard S. Weinberg, the mayor of Aventura, Larisa Svechin, the mayor of Sunny Isles Beach, Glenn Singer, the mayor of the Town of Golden Beach and Bernard Klepach, the mayor of Indian Creek Village.
Why are these Floridas mayors asking to continue using cameras?
The letter signed by the mayors states that "much of Miami Beach's core infrastructure" is part of the state highway system, and asks for an "immediate pause on enforcement" of the 30-day removal deadline and a process for local law enforcement agencies to petition for continued permitted use of LPR systems.
On Sept. 10, the Miami Beach City Commission discussed a proposal to install LPR cameras on private property, which the mayor supported. In a separate resolution, Commissioner David Suarez called for a 90-day pause on "new and expanded" LPR deployments and "interim safeguards" on the city's continued use of the cameras.
Mayor Meiner said that the city was attempting to get an extension on removal and some "modifications" from the state. If that doesn't occur, he advocates for installing the LPRs on "private property."
"Obviously we're not forcing it on anybody," he said. "That would be illegal, but it's people who volunteer to utilize their properties, whether it be a hotel, a condo. And, actually, many private businesses have reached out to me, saying, 'Sign me up, I want to be part of this.'"
"We would basically, effectively, take the license plate readers on the state roads, remove them, and then have to put them up for free on the private businesses," he said.
What cameras are used in Miami Beach
Meiner said the City of Miami Beach does not have Flock cameras installed — although the police department can access Flock data, said Suarez — but does employ LPRs that "in sum and substance" use the same technology. He added that "one of the neighborhood associations" does use Flock cameras, however.
Meiner says that Miami Beach has "approximately" 40 license plate readers, with about half on state roads.
South Florida city, county suspend use of Flock cameras
After the FDOT revoked active permits for automatic license plate recognition systems, a city in Broward County announced it would suspend the use of its Flock cameras.
The Pembroke Pines Police Department posted a statement to its social media announcing that it would suspend its use of license plate readers, effective Wednesday, Sept. 2.
"In light of the recent update from the Florida Department of Transportation, our mayor’s call to suspend the use of license plate readers, as well as consultation with city administration, the Pembroke Pines Police Department will fully suspend its license plate reader programs effective today," reads the statement.
The Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office previously posted a similar statement, announcing it would suspend its LPR program in its "entirety."
In a statement posted to social media, Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz and the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office said that "all cameras" located on FDOT property would be "taken offline" by the end of the day on Sept. 1.
Why did Florida revoke Flock camera permits?
The FDOT issued a memorandum on Monday, Aug. 31, announcing that it revoked active permits issued to local law enforcement agencies for automatic license plate recognition systems, such as Flock cameras, installed along state rights-of-way. Local authorities were provided with a 30-day window to remove them.
The memo said that "recent exponential increase in deployments along our roadways, coupled with concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns, and surveillance schemes merit immediate action to preserve Floridians' sovereignty and quality of life."
Additionally, according to the memo, the FDOT will not approve future requests "within its jurisdictional authority."
Flock Safety claims it has more than 120,000 cameras installed across 49 states.
Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Florida Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida city wants to move license plate readers to private property
