Palm Bay suspends license plate cameras over permitting, installation concerns
Palm Bay orders immediate suspension of FLOCK cameras
The city of Palm Bay is suspending its FLOCK cameras system after a city manager determined the cameras may not have been properly permitted. The system is not suspended pending the completion of the review.
PALM BAY, Fla. - The City of Palm Bay immediately suspended its license plate reader cameras – sometimes referred to as Flock cameras – following concerns that the cameras may have been installed without the proper city permits.
License plate cameras taken offline in Palm Bay
The backstory:
The City of Palm Bay launched an investigation following concerns about the placement and installation of the license plate reader cameras.
Following that investigation, the City of Palm Bay said the cameras "may not have been properly permitted or installed by FLOCK Safety, the system vendor, as required by the City," and it was ordered to take the cameras offline.
The City of Palm Bay said each camera would have a hood placed over it as a visible reminder to drivers that the cameras are not operating.
What they're saying:
"This City Council is committed to trust, transparency and accountability," City Manager Matthew Morton said in a statement.
"We are not going to ask residents to simply trust that everything is working as it should. We are going to demonstrate it through transparency, accountability, and action."
What's next:
At this time, the FLOCK cameras are suspended and deactivated, but they are not being physically removed from poles.
City staff will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the installation and permitting process across all camera locations.
Once the review is complete, staff will present their findings and recommendations to the Palm Bay City Council, where leaders will officially vote on what to do next with the system.
Timeline:
A timeline for how long that review could take was not released.
FOX 35 investigation raised concerns about school zone speed cameras
This is not the first time Palm Bay has had to halt a tech-based law enforcement program due to vendor installation issues.
A previous FOX 35 investigation revealed that school zone speed cameras installed across Palm Bay by contractor RedSpeed violated Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) placement guidelines and state laws, ultimately leading to the removal of those cameras.
License plate readers spark renewed privacy concerns
Big picture view:
Across the country, there have been renewed discussions about license plate reader cameras, surveillance, and privacy.
Police departments and sheriff's offices praised these cameras as a valuable law enforcement tool, especially when searching for missing kids or adults, or searching for a suspect.
Others raise concerns about automated surveillance and privacy.
Palm Bay City Councilman Chandler Langevin expressed that public trust remains a primary concern as automated surveillance technology expands.
"There are concerns from the residents that they can't drive anywhere in our city without the government knowing, so there is a balance there between public safety and our residents' privacy that we’re going to have some tough discussions about," said Langevin.
He added that he would like to see more oversight and regulations from state and federal leaders to ensure safeguards against the public's privacy.
The Source: The information in this story is from a news release issued by the City of Palm Bay.