Florida becomes first state to ban LPR cameras on state roads after DeSantis calls misuse “out of control”

TALLAHASSEE, FL (352today.com) – On Monday, August 31, 2026, Florida Department of Transportation COO Will Watts signed an Engineering and Operations Memorandum ordering the removal of all license plate recognition technology, including Flock cameras, from Florida’s state roads.

The order came in the wake of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis—known as one of America’s most law-and-order governors—made multiple comments on the subject of Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technologies, calling their rapid deployment “out of control” and saying Floridians had a “right to be concerned” as stories of their misuse continue to fill the news.

Engineering and Operations Memorandum 26-01 automatically revokes all ALPR contracts and permits statewide and puts a hold on future permits. Further, ALPRs on interstates, U.S. highways and Florida state roads must come down within 30 days.

Reports estimate there are around 700 license plate reader cameras that will be affected by the order.

Close to home, Levy County Sheriff Robert “Bobby” McCallum issued a statement on the memorandum yesterday.

“The Levy County Sheriff’s Office has received the executive order from Governor DeSantis and the Florida Department of Transportation to remove all LPR equipment from State roads, and will adhere to the order,” the statement read in part. “The Levy County Sheriff’s Office wants to make it clear to our public that we were not using Flock cameras. We were using LPR technology offered from another vendor whom we vetted before entering into any contract to ensure the data it obtained was safely stored.”

McCallum also used his statement to tout some law enforcement success stories made possible by ALPR technology.

“Had it not been for this LPR technology we would not have captured a suspect wanted for murder in Levy County, nor would we be able to share finding multiple people who were reported missing and endangered. We used LPR technology to identify a shooting suspect fleeing the scene of the crime within four minutes of the offense. We identified more than half a dozen drivers who were passing our school buses with their stop signaling devices activated while our children were boarding. We solved an Internet Crimes Against Children sexual abuse material transmission case and several sexual battery cases with LPR. A burglary reported by the Inglis City Hall during which a computer containing sensitive information related to Town business was solved using LPR, just to name a few,” he said.

The sheriff closed his statement by reminding the public that the Levy County Sheriff’s Office has never been “under scrutiny for the misuse of this technology.”