Florida ordered license plate cameras removed — Now unauthorized cameras are being found

Florida’s controversial license plate reader cameras were already being ordered off state roads. Now officials have discovered another troubling problem: cameras installed without the required permits — and authorities don’t know who installed most of them.

The Florida Department of Transportation previously ordered Flock automated license plate readers removed from state-managed roads, setting a September 30 deadline for law enforcement agencies to comply.

The decision followed growing concerns over privacy, surveillance and potential misuse of information collected by the cameras.

But in St. Lucie County, officials recently discovered more than a dozen license plate readers that had been installed without county permits.

According to the latest reporting, three were identified as belonging to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, which is investigating why they were installed without permits. Officials were still trying to determine who installed the remaining cameras and who may have access to the information they collected.

The cameras can automatically photograph passing vehicles and record information including license plates, locations and other vehicle details.

St. Lucie County has posted notices requiring the cameras to be removed. County officials have also moved toward removing automated license plate readers from county roads.

The discovery comes as scrutiny of the technology grows across Florida. Jacksonville and several Northeast Florida law enforcement agencies previously announced they would discontinue or remove license plate readers following the state’s action.

For now, one major question remains unanswered in St. Lucie County:

Who installed the unauthorized cameras — and who has been receiving their data?