Florida County Discovered 14 Flock Cameras That No One Authorized and 11 Remain Unclaimed

What we know so far: Flock’s AI-powered surveillance cameras have already sparked widespread controversy, even as authorities fully reveal their deployment. Communities across the United States are canceling contracts with the company over concerns about privacy and police abuse. However, in some areas authorities have found more cameras than allowed and are not always sure who is watching through them.

The latest case of unclaimed Flock cameras occurred in St. Lucie County, Florida. When officials began dismantling the cameras after canceling the county’s contract with the company, they discovered 14 additional cameras that police said were not theirs.

St. Lucie County’s contract with Flock allowed for 52 cameras, but authorities found 66. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office ultimately admitted that three of the additional Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) were theirs, but did not explain how or why they deployed them without permits, leaving 11 that no one, including the county’s two other police departments, claimed responsibility for.

ALPRs like those from Flock and Axon use AI to read the license plates of passing vehicles and automatically sort them into a searchable database, which authorities can use to track movements. When cameras flag license plates related to crimes or investigations (sometimes by mistake), officers can stop and search vehicles without a warrant.

Clear concerns about mass surveillance have prompted hundreds of communities across the United States to end their contracts with Flock, even though the company says new contracts far outweigh cancellations. Another concern is police misuse: Dozens of officers have been caught using ALPRs for harassment. In many places, citizens have taken it upon themselves to destroy the cameras.

St. Lucie County has for now covered the unclaimed cameras in plastic, attaching a notice that authorities will remove them in 30 days, a deadline that could expire between October 16 and 20. A camera has already mysteriously disappeared, according to the Washington Post.

Of concern, Flock cameras are not necessarily exclusive to police departments and do not always require government permits. While Flock typically leads the permit negotiations and installations, private companies can sign contracts with the manufacturer, and a spokesperson confirmed they can place ALPRs in certain locations without a permit.

Flock has installed cameras in several other states and communities without permits in recent years, some on behalf of unknown clients. When Grass Valley, California, recently removed its ALPRs, Flock reinstalled some without informing authorities.

In response to these reactions, the company imposed stricter restrictions on searches of police databases. By the end of the year, searches will require entering case numbers, but authorities can bypass this step in an emergency. A Florida congressman also recently introduced a bill that would require warrants to use ALPRs.