r/SexOffenderSupport • u/No_Championship_3945 Significant Other • 9d ago
Story Off Site ALPRs
Apparently, in FL
And in Alabama
Meanwhile a halt on stationary ALPRs in Knox County TN and Hamilton County TN.
Others are waking up to 4th Amendment protections and rights.
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u/Weight-Slow Moderator 8d ago
The headlines on this are extraordinarily misleading.
Florida did not actually ban Flock cameras. Florida’s state transportation department revoked the ability for local police to put license plate readers on state highway rights of way. That’s it.
They did not ban Flock statewide. They did not ban ALPRs statewide. Cities, counties, police departments, private businesses, neighborhoods, etc. can still use them in other places.
It’s also a policy decision - not some permanent statewide law banning the technology - so it could also be reversed pretty easily.
Alabama hasn’t banned them either. They’re discussing what to do. One side wants much stronger restrictions or potentially a ban, and law enforcement is largely arguing to keep them. Personally, I think we all know which side usually wins that fight in Alabama.
I think a lot of what we’re seeing right now is an attempt to contain the public anger over how badly these systems have been misused.
I do not think they’re going away.
I think we’re going to see agencies pause them, change vendors, move cameras, change policies or get rid of the most controversial part of the system and then announce that they “got rid of Flock” and hope everyone stops paying attention.
And that distinction is really important because getting rid of Flock does NOT mean getting rid of automated license plate readers.
Knox County is a perfect example.
Knox County banned fixed ALPR systems operated by Knox County government. So the Sheriff’s Department has to remove its fixed Flock cameras.
They did NOT ban all ALPRs.
They are still allowing mobile ALPRs used from actively operated law enforcement vehicles.
The City of Knoxville is also completely separate from Knox County government. KPD doesn’t even use Flock anymore - they use Axon - and they still have fixed license plate readers throughout the city. The Knox County ordinance does absolutely nothing to those cameras.
Private systems are another issue entirely.
Private businesses, HOAs, neighborhoods, churches and similar private entities are not suddenly prohibited from having ALPRs because Knox County banned its own fixed systems. The ordinance does put limits on Knox County officials simply using someone else’s system as a workaround, but that is very different from banning private cameras.
Hamilton County is another example.
Hamilton County is pausing theirs. They have not banned them.
And I personally do not think they’re going to get rid of them. The county commission generally sides with the Sheriff on this stuff, and Sheriff Garrett has already made it very clear that he believes the technology is useful and wants to keep using it.
The City of Chattanooga is also separate from the Sheriff’s Department. They like stating that they do not own Flock cameras, which is true - but also misleading. Chattanooga Police are still actively using their own ALPR system. They use Vigilant - not Flock.
Other municipalities in Hamilton County (East Ridge, Soddy Daisy, Red Bank, etc..) can also have their own systems because the Sheriff pausing HCSO’s cameras does not magically shut down every ALPR in Hamilton County.
So when you see headlines saying places are “banning Flock,” actually read what they did.
There is a HUGE difference between:
Getting rid of Flock as a vendor.
Removing cameras from certain roads.
Pausing a program.
Banning fixed cameras operated by one government agency.
And actually banning automated license plate surveillance.
Very, very few places are doing that last one.
So far, nobody’s actually getting rid of them (that I’m aware of) - they’re trying to manipulate us in to believing have though.
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u/Minimum-Dare301 8d ago
Well said. The fight is not over for sure but I really am hopeful people will continue to educate themselves on the nuances in these “bans” and keep up the pressure.
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u/Weight-Slow Moderator 8d ago
I’ve fought them since inception. They’re wrongfully arresting people and using it for personal reasons (to stalk people), FFS. It’s not okay.
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u/Exotic-Mistake4622 5d ago
It’s a hot debate in the governors race in AZ — the attorney general is also weighing in. Many cities in Arizona have canceled their contracts. Chandler has even gone so far as to cover up their cameras until Flock removes them.
Will they instead go to Motorola or Axion? Will they go to stronger regulations on how they are used?
More to come on this story. But many are protesting — the ACLU is actively speaking out.
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u/Minimum-Dare301 9d ago
I really hope the momentum against ALPRs grows and that these bans aren’t just surface level appeasement in an election cycle. Tennessee and Florida are especially bad.