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License-plate readers · Charleston County

Charleston County

Using license-plate readers · 10 agencies documented

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Charleston County Sheriff's Office

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
24
24 Flock cameras ordered in Sept. 2024 plus a mobile trailer kit ordered Nov. 2024, per WCIV's Aug. 2026 review of spending; no newer count found.
Contract
Flock Safety: $157,194 total · Total paid to Flock as of summer 2026 per WCIV, including the trailer kit and replacement parts. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
Sources
WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026
  1. May 2024 Announced six more Flock cameras for the Town of James Island, at $650 per camera; Live 5 reported the office already had 25 cameras in the county, which other agencies including the City of Charleston could use. (WCSC Live 5 News, May 24, 2024)
  2. Sept. 2024 Ordered 24 Flock cameras. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
  3. Nov. 2024 Ordered a Flock mobile trailer kit. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
  4. Aug. 2026 Told WCIV it uses Flock's Audit Assistance and was working on a public Transparency Portal. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026; WCIV ABC News 4, Sept. 2, 2026)
Conflicts and open questions
  • Counts differ: Live 5 (May 2024) said 25 existing cameras plus 6 planned for James Island; WCIV (Aug. 2026) lists an order of 24 in Sept. 2024. They may describe overlapping or different purchases.
  • Live 5 printed the two-year James Island cost as '$39,9000', apparently a typo; not recorded as a contract.
  • Flock transparency portal URL guesses returned HTTP 403 to an automated fetch on 2026-10-31; not checked further.

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

Charleston County Aviation Authority Police

Status
Checked: no program found
Vendors
Cameras
Count not documented
WCIV (Aug. 2026) reports it does not currently use ALPRs.
Sources
WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

Charleston Police Department

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
21
WCIV (Aug. 2026) lists orders of 15 cameras in May 2024 (14 Falcon, 1 long-range), 1 in Oct. 2024 and 5 in Feb./Mar. 2026; 21 is the sum of those orders, not a figure the department stated.
Contract
Flock Safety: $237,000 total · WCIV reports 'over $237,000' spent on cameras, installation, implementation and renewals; exact figure not given. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
Sources
WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026
  1. May 2024 Ordered 15 Flock cameras: 14 Falcon units and one long-range unit. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
  2. Oct. 2024 Ordered one more Flock camera. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
  3. Feb. 2026 Ordered five more Flock cameras (WCIV gives Feb./March 2026). (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
Conflicts and open questions
  • City council approval records for the Flock purchases were not located.
  • WSAV (Feb. 2026), citing the Beaufort County sheriff, gave 65 ALPRs for Charleston and North Charleston combined; not broken down by agency.

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

College of Charleston Department of Public Safety

Status
Ended or removed
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
Count not documented
No permanent cameras; a 90-day limited-use Flock trial only.
Sources
WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026
  1. June 2026 Began a 90-day 'limited use' Flock trial. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
  2. Sept. 2026 Decided not to adopt Flock after the trial, as of Sept. 21, per WCIV's updated story. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
Conflicts and open questions
  • Trial status taken from the Sept. 22, 2026 update to the WCIV story; who made the decision was not stated.

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

Folly Beach Department of Public Safety

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
2
2 Flock cameras per WCIV (Aug. 2026).
Contract
Flock Safety: $26,000 total · WCIV: around $26,000. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
Sources
WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026
  1. 2023 Began replacing older plate readers with Flock cameras. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
Conflicts and open questions
  • Per WCIV, it was the only local agency with a Flock transparency portal before Flock's August 2026 announcement, already used Flock's Audit Assistance, and did not plan to cut retention to seven days.

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

Isle of Palms Police Department

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
2
2 Flock cameras installed in 2024, per WCIV (Aug. 2026).
Contract
Flock Safety: $13,500 total · WCIV: around $13,500. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
Sources
WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026
  1. 2024 Installed two Flock cameras. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
  2. Aug. 2026 After Flock's August policy changes, the department asked Flock to cut retention from 30 days to seven and launched a transparency portal; it had already been using Audit Assistance for several weeks. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026; WCIV ABC News 4, Sept. 2, 2026)

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

Mount Pleasant Police Department

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
22
Aug. 2026 department figures: 18 fixed plus 4 movable 'flex' Flock cameras (22). On Oct. 5, 2026 the chief told council 20 permanent plus 2 portable. Totals match; the split differs.
Contract
Flock Safety: $270,000 total · WCIV: 'over $270,000' on the network and renewals since 2020. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
Sources
WCSC Live 5 News, Aug. 24, 2026; WCSC Live 5 News, Oct. 5, 2026; WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026
  1. 2020 Ordered its first 10 Flock cameras, the first Tri-County agency to buy Flock, per WCIV; they replaced older readers SLED had bought. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026; WCIV ABC News 4, Sept. 2, 2026)
  2. Aug. 21, 2026 A town Flock Falcon camera off Highway 41 near the Charleston-Berkeley line was cut down; it was last active around 10 p.m. Aug. 21, and the case was closed with no leads. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 24, 2026)
  3. Aug. 24, 2026 Department published details of its Flock use, including Policy O-74 (officers must visually confirm the plate and check NCIC before a stop) and seven-day image retention. (WCSC Live 5 News, Aug. 24, 2026; Moultrie News / Post and Courier, Aug. 24, 2026)
  4. Oct. 5, 2026 In a council discussion the chief said the system had taken more than 2.6 million images and been searched 219 times in the previous 30 days, and that Flock alerts had contributed to 40 cases ending in arrests this year. No vote was reported. (WCSC Live 5 News, Oct. 5, 2026)
Conflicts and open questions
  • Adopted seven-day retention, a Transparency Portal and Audit Assistance after Flock's Aug. 13, 2026 policy changes (WCIV).
  • The Moultrie News piece is credited to the department itself, not a reporter.

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

North Charleston Police Department

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Rekor Systems, Verkada
Cameras
Count not documented
Sources differ: WCIV (Aug. 18, 2026) says 34 Rekor readers were ordered in 2022; Live 5 (Aug. 13, 2026) says the department has Rekor readers at 25 locations and Verkada license-plate-reading camera boxes at 170 locations (one to four cameras each), close to 200 locations in all.
Contract
Rekor Systems: $163,200 total · Maintenance spending on Rekor readers per procurement documents cited by WCIV; period not stated. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
Sources
WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026; WCSC Live 5 News, Aug. 13, 2026
  1. 2022 Purchased Rekor license plate readers (34 ordered, per WCIV). (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
  2. Aug. 2025 Live 5 reported the department's citywide camera and real-time crime center build-out, with a design contract of up to $1.5 million approved by City Council; completion expected mid-2026. (WCSC Live 5 News, Aug. 29, 2025)
  3. Aug. 2026 Department technology staff described the Verkada and Rekor plate-reading network to Live 5; plate data is kept 90 days. (WCSC Live 5 News, Aug. 13, 2026)
Conflicts and open questions
  • Per WCIV, the department does not share its plate data with SLED or other outside agencies and declined an interview.
  • The 2026-08 event is dated by article date (Aug. 13, 2026); the interview date was not given.
  • Camera counts disagree between WCIV and Live 5; both recorded.

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

Sullivan's Island Police Department

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Flock Safety
Cameras
7
4 Flock ALPRs plus 3 Flock Condor (pan-tilt-zoom video) cameras, acquired in 2026, per WCIV; the 7 total counts both types.
Contract
Flock Safety: $26,000 total · WCIV: 'just over $26,000'. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
Sources
WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026
  1. 2026 Added four Flock plate readers and three Flock Condor cameras; WCIV says it is the only Tri-County agency using Condor. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026)
  2. Aug. 2026 Adopted seven-day retention and Audit Assistance and launched a Transparency Portal. (WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026; WCIV ABC News 4, Sept. 2, 2026)

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

Summerville Police Department

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Motorola Solutions
Cameras
Count not documented
No count published. The Berkeley Independent (Oct. 23, 2026) says the town uses Motorola ALPRs, not Flock; WCIV says it uses a different vendor than Flock.
Sources
The Berkeley Independent / Post and Courier, Oct. 23, 2026; WCIV ABC News 4, Aug. 18, 2026
  1. Oct. 2026 Chief Doug Wright said the department uses Motorola plate readers rather than Flock and can draw on other agencies' shared data. (The Berkeley Independent / Post and Courier, Oct. 23, 2026)
Conflicts and open questions
  • Dated by article date (Oct. 23, 2026).

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.

Statewide

  1. March 2024 By March 2024 SCDOT had stopped approving new plate-reader installations in state right-of-way, citing ongoing litigation, according to an SCDOT spokeswoman. In February 2024 Transportation Secretary Christy Hall had said the department found more than 200 Flock cameras on state right-of-way without permits. A Flock spokesman said cities, counties and private owners could still install cameras elsewhere. The date the pause began was not reported. (The Post and Courier, March 11, 2024)
  2. July 2024 Local agencies reported working around the SCDOT pause, e.g., mounting cameras on private property or utility poles (Florence County SO, Loris PD; both outside the Midlands). (WMBF News, July 3, 2024)
  3. Jan. 14, 2025 H. 3155 (Rep. Rutherford) introduced and referred to House Judiciary: would restrict ALPR use to listed purposes, cap retention at 90 days, bar sale of data, and make violations a misdemeanor. No action after referral shown on the bill page. (South Carolina General Assembly, Jan. 14, 2025)
  4. Feb. 13, 2025 H. 4013 (Reps. J.E. Johnson, Gilliam, Bailey, Guest; Alexander added 2025-03-26) introduced and referred to House Education and Public Works: lists lawful ALPR uses, 90-day retention for law enforcement absent an investigation, audit logs, written public policy, ban on sale; expressly lets SLED operate an ALPR database; adds Section 57-3-786 directing SCDOT to set up a permit process for government cameras on non-interstate rights of way. No action after referral shown. (South Carolina General Assembly, Feb. 13, 2025; Municipal Association of South Carolina, date not shown)
  5. March 12, 2025 S. 447 (Sen. Brian Adams; companion H. 3155) introduced and referred to Senate Judiciary. Similar framework to H. 4013 (permitted uses, 90-day retention, written policy, access logs, visual confirmation before stops, no sale of data, SLED database authorized, SCDOT permitting via new Section 57-3-786) and makes misuse of law enforcement ALPR data a misdemeanor (fine up to $1,000 and up to two years in prison). (South Carolina General Assembly, April 9, 2026)
  6. April 15, 2025 WSPA quoted an SCDOT spokesperson on April 15, 2025 saying it was "unclear" whether the devices are allowed in state-owned right-of-way; on April 17 WIS reported SCDOT had not installed readers in state right-of-way for more than a year and was waiting for direction from lawmakers. (WIS News 10, April 17, 2025; WSPA 7NEWS (via Yahoo News), date not shown)
  7. April 15, 2025 A Senate Judiciary subcommittee gave S. 447 a favorable report; the full committee carried it over (per MASC tracker). (Municipal Association of South Carolina, date not shown)
  8. March 2, 2026 Attorney General Alan Wilson joined two Georgia-led multistate friend-of-the-court briefs, with 17 other states signing alongside South Carolina, supporting police use of license plate readers against Fourth Amendment challenges. The office's release does not name the cases or courts. (South Carolina Attorney General's Office, March 2, 2026)
  9. April 9, 2026 Senate Judiciary Committee reported S. 447 favorably (statehouse bill page lists 4/9/2026; MASC tracker lists 04.08.2026). No later floor action is shown on either page; FOX Carolina reported in September 2026 that lawmakers are expected to revisit ALPR rules in January 2027. As of these sources South Carolina has no statute specifically governing ALPR. (South Carolina General Assembly, April 9, 2026; Municipal Association of South Carolina, date not shown; FOX Carolina, Sept. 11, 2026)
  10. Sept. 2026 Gov. Henry McMaster, asked by FOX Carolina after Florida moved to remove Flock cameras from state roads, said law enforcement should not be deprived of such tools and that misuse should bring accountability. (FOX Carolina, Sept. 11, 2026)

State agencies

South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED)

Status
Using license-plate readers
Vendors
Vendor not named in source
Cameras
6
SLED's own units as SLED described them in 2022: five trailer-mounted portable readers and one fixed reader; most reads in its central database come from local agencies (48 contributing agencies, ~400 million reads, three-year retention, per 2022 reporting).
Sources
GovTech / The State, Nov. 17, 2022; WSPA 7NEWS (via Yahoo News), date not shown; Flock Safety / Lexington Police Department, Dec. 7, 2025
  1. Nov. 2022 Reporting on a petition against SLED described its central ALPR database ("Back Office"): about 400 million plate images kept three years, SLED-owned units of five trailers and one fixed camera, data from 48 agencies. (GovTech / The State, Nov. 17, 2022)
  2. Dec. 7, 2025 SLED is listed among organizations with access to Lexington Police Department's Flock data on Lexington PD's Flock transparency portal. (Flock Safety / Lexington Police Department, Dec. 7, 2025)
Conflicts and open questions
  • WSPA (April 15, 2025) quoted senior SLED agent Mark Amos as saying the data is used only for law-enforcement investigations and that every search has a reason behind it.
  • No South Carolina statute expressly addresses the database; petitioners challenging it say no law authorizes it and SLED says state law does. H. 4013 and S. 447 would authorize it expressly.

Reported by news outlets; agency records not yet obtained.