In a recent turn of events in St. Lucie County, Florida, officials decided to discontinue the use of Flock cameras and began their removal, only to uncover several devices that weren’t associated with any local law enforcement agencies. Initially believing there were 52 cameras, county leaders found an additional 14 that were unpermitted and unaccounted for.
Out of these unpermitted cameras, three were eventually claimed by the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, although the department has not clarified why the necessary permits were not acquired. This leaves 11 Flock cameras in the area with unidentified ownership, leading to concerns among local residents about their safety and privacy.
We have reached out for a response from Flock and will provide updates as they become available.
Flock’s surveillance cameras have been subject to widespread criticism regarding security vulnerabilities and risks to personal privacy. Just last month, Florida’s Department of Transportation instituted a ban on the deployment of Flock’s license plate readers on state highways by law enforcement. Despite some municipalities retracting their use of these cameras, over 100,000 units reportedly remain in operation throughout the U.S.
A county official commented that notices have been affixed to the unclaimed cameras, instructing the rightful owners to remove them. Meanwhile, these cameras will be covered with plastic bags to thwart any ongoing data collection. When a reporter visited one of the unpermitted camera locations, it was found to have been taken down, but there was no indication of who was responsible for its removal.
