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License-plate readers · Manatee County

Manatee County

Using license-plate readers · 1 agency documented

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Manatee County Sheriff's Office

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety, Vendor not named in source
Cameras
213
79 Flock cameras plus 134 license-plate readers from other manufacturers, countywide (FOX 13, Aug. 26, 2026); none at county parks or buildings
  1. Aug. 25, 2026 County Commission debated the cameras. Commissioner Amanda Ballard moved to bar approval of plate-reader cameras on county facilities, buildings and parks and require all applications to go to the commission. County attorney said the county can only ban cameras in unincorporated Manatee. (WWSB ABC7, Aug. 25, 2026)
  2. Aug. 26, 2026 Commission voted 5-0 to block license-plate reader cameras at county parks, facilities and buildings. Sheriff Rick Wells said the agency has none there and no plans to install them. (FOX 13 Tampa Bay, Aug. 26, 2026; WWSB ABC7, Aug. 26, 2026)
  3. Aug. 26, 2026 Agency said it audits the system every two weeks and deletes data after 30 days; agency figures: readers helped identify 37 homicide suspects and locate 23 missing or endangered people over five years. (FOX 13 Tampa Bay, Aug. 26, 2026)
Conflicts and open questions
  • No post-Aug. 31 FDOT-removal statement from MCSO was found.

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

Statewide

  1. Aug. 31, 2026 The Florida Department of Transportation revoked permits and ordered all automated license-plate readers off state roads within 30 days. Gov. Ron DeSantis: "I don't want to have this become a surveillance state." (Axios Tampa Bay, Sept. 1, 2026; WUSF, Sept. 2, 2026)
  2. Sept. 30, 2026 The 30-day deadline for removing license-plate readers from state roads passed. (Florida Phoenix, Sept. 30, 2026)