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License-plate readers · Sarasota County

Sarasota County

Using license-plate readers · 4 agencies documented

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Sarasota County Sheriff's Office

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
28
24 Flock Falcon fixed readers plus 4 Falcon Flex units approved for purchase Jan. 2024; current count, and count removed under the FDOT order, not found
Contract
Flock Safety: $104,300 total approved from the Sheriff's Office Law Enforcement Forfeitures Fund (24 Falcon at $3,000 each; 4 Falcon Flex at $3,500 each; $8,400 one-year data-retention extension; $1,500 two battery packs; $8,400 implementation fee); two-year contract, $95,900 cited as annual recurring expense · from Jan. 10, 2024 (Sarasota News Leader, Jan. 18, 2024)
  1. Jan. 2024 Sheriff's Office said ALPR data is not shared with non-government entities, is accessible only to authorized personnel, and is stored for one year before deletion. (WTSP 10 Tampa Bay, date not shown)
  2. Jan. 10, 2024 Sarasota County Commission unanimously approved, on its consent agenda, $104,300 from the Sheriff's Office Law Enforcement Forfeitures Fund to buy 28 license-plate readers from Flock Group Inc. (Sarasota News Leader, Jan. 18, 2024; WTSP 10 Tampa Bay, date not shown)
  3. Aug. 10, 2026 Sheriff's Office confirmed it had received reports of its Flock cameras and license-plate readers being damaged or vandalized. No count given. (WWSB ABC7, Aug. 10, 2026)
Conflicts and open questions
  • The WTSP report shows no date; its figures match the Jan. 10, 2024 approval.
  • Status reflects the Aug. 10, 2026 report; no statement on removals under the FDOT order was found.

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

North Port Police Department

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
Count not documented
Count not found
  1. Aug. 10, 2026 Department confirmed it had received reports of its Flock cameras and license-plate readers being damaged or vandalized. No count or details given. (WWSB ABC7, Aug. 10, 2026)
Conflicts and open questions
  • No contract, camera count or response to the FDOT order found.

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

Sarasota Police Department

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
57
Flock cameras citywide, Aug. 2026 (WWSB, FOX 13, Tampa Bay 28); the city said 55 in June 2026 (Suncoast Searchlight)
  1. June 2026 City said its cameras are not used for immigration enforcement. (Suncoast Searchlight, June 19, 2026)
  2. Aug. 2026 A former officer was charged with felony offenses against users of computers, felony official misconduct and a misdemeanor public-records violation. Arrest affidavit (as reported): 358 Flock searches of the same license plate between May and October 2025. (WWSB / Gray News (via WAFB), Aug. 20, 2026; Sarasota Magazine, Aug. 24, 2026)
  3. Aug. 6, 2026 Department learned of alleged Flock misuse by an officer after a USA Today reporter's inquiry; internal investigation opened. Agency-wide compliance audit ran Aug. 7-14 and found compliance. (WWSB / Gray News (via WAFB), Aug. 20, 2026; Sarasota Magazine, Aug. 24, 2026)
  4. Aug. 10, 2026 Flock camera on South Tuttle Avenue found damaged (offline since Aug. 7); first reported Flock vandalism in the city; repairs estimated at $800. (WWSB ABC7, Aug. 11, 2026; FOX 13 Tampa Bay, Aug. 12, 2026)
  5. Sept. 30, 2026 Department reported all cameras within state highway rights-of-way in the city were removed. No count given. (Tampa Bay 28 (WFTS), Sept. 30, 2026)
Conflicts and open questions
  • Search-count conflict: 358 (affidavit, per WWSB/Gray) vs. 'roughly 335' found by a USA Today reporter in public records (Sarasota Magazine). Use 358 (affidavit).
  • Camera count: 55 (June 2026) vs. 57 (Aug. 2026).

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

Venice Police Department

Status
Program documented, current use unconfirmed
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
Count not documented
Count not stated; WTSP (undated) said number and locations were undecided at the time of the council vote
Contract
Flock Safety: agreement for License Plate Reader services and technology equipment; amount not in Legistar record (WTSP, undated: about $2,400 per year to maintain, per Capt. Andrew Leisenring) · from July 12, 2022 (City of Venice (Legistar), July 12, 2022; WTSP 10 Tampa Bay, date not shown)
  1. July 12, 2022 City Council approved on consent an agreement between the Venice Police Department and Flock Group, Inc. for License Plate Reader Services and Technology Equipment (file 22-5715). No roll call recorded. (City of Venice (Legistar), July 12, 2022; City of Venice (Legistar), July 12, 2022)
  2. Aug. 22, 2023 City Council approved on consent an interlocal agreement with Sarasota County regarding installation of Automatic License Plate Reader Systems for the Venice Police Department (file 23-6193). (City of Venice (Legistar), Aug. 22, 2023)
  3. undated WTSP reported the council allowed police to use license-plate-reading cameras from Flock Safety; models and locations undecided; about $2,400 a year to maintain; data kept 30 days. (WTSP 10 Tampa Bay, date not shown)
Conflicts and open questions
  • Venice's Legistar also lists file 22-5522 (March 22, 2022): an interagency agreement with Panama City Beach Police Department and MOU with Flock Group, Inc. (title search result; not opened individually).
  • Agreement PDFs (legistar1.granicus.com) are blocked to automated fetch (robots). No 2026 statement on the FDOT order found.
  • The WTSP date is not shown; its vote may correspond to the July 12, 2022 approval but this is not confirmed.

From agency records.

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)