St. Lucie County, Florida

St. Lucie County, Florida, discovered 14 unpermitted Flock Safety license-plate reader cameras while removing its officially sanctioned network of 52 devices. The sheriff's office claimed three cameras but could not explain the missing permits, while two other agencies denied ownership, leaving 11 unclaimed and of uncertain status. The county posted removal notices with a mid-October deadline and plans to cover unclaimed cameras with plastic bags in the meantime. Flock says permitting requirements vary by jurisdiction and it is working with the county to resolve discrepancies.

The episode adds to mounting scrutiny of Flock nationwide. Hamilton County, Ohio's sheriff's office has now fully terminated its Flock partnership after a September suspension, citing unresolved resident concerns over data access and sharing, despite internal audits finding no local misuse. Hamilton joins Fort Thomas and Newport, Kentucky, among Tri-State communities dropping Flock, amid resident protests in Hamilton and Milford. Florida has also seen fallout, with Gov. Ron DeSantis ordering license-plate readers removed from state highway rights-of-way after misuse cases, including a Fort Pierce officer arrested for stalking an ex-girlfriend using the system.