by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
The City of Sanibel currently has three Flock cameras in use. Two are located just coming off the Causeway onto Sanibel (one on each side of the road), and one is located at Middle Gulf Drive adjacent to Sundial.
A Flock camera is an advanced automated license plate reader (ALPR) made by Flock Safety that tracks and logs vehicle movements for public safety. While some are powered by artificial intelligence and can gather much more information, Sanibel’s cameras are not powered by AI.
Instead of just recording standard video, the Flock system builds a searchable, nationwide digital record of where and when vehicles have traveled.
Police departments and county sheriffs use them to track stolen cars or search for missing persons, for example. Sanibel Chief of Police Bill Dalton said they are a valuable law enforcement tool. However, in some places, Homeowners Associations and private businesses purchase and install them on neighborhood or commercial streets.
The cameras are controversial because privacy advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union, argue that tracking every citizen’s daily travel creates a passive surveillance state without requiring warrants. Investigations have also highlighted instances where law enforcement officers misused the technology for personal tracking or non-official business.
Sanibel IT Director Bert Smith said no such incidents have occurred with Sanibel’s Flock cameras.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered the removal of all automated license plate reader cameras, including Flock cameras, from the state highway system. His order does not automatically affect cameras on local city/county roads or private/commercial property, though some local sheriff’s departments have independently chosen to end their programs.
DeSantis criticized the technology as being “out of control” and stated he wants to prevent Florida from turning into a digital surveillance state. He highlighted risks regarding data collection, lack of oversight, and potential misuse by private companies or individuals.
Data collected by Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras in one city is generally accessible across a broader regional or nationwide network if the local law enforcement agency participates in data-sharing.
Sanibel has used Flock technology since 2008. At that time, Flock retained all right, title, and interest in the Flock Service and recordings or data provided through the service, and Flock retained the right to use that information in Flock’s discretion – and presumably even nationwide.
That changed in 2025. The city expressly stated that all right, title, and interest in customer data belonged to and would be retained by the City of Sanibel. Although the City owns customer data, the updated terms grant Flock a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide license.
The license permits Flock to process and use data as necessary to provide the ALPR service to Sanibel and to support and improve its products and services. Sanibel must consider whether to request additional contractual language requiring that data used for product improvement cannot reasonably be associated with the City, a particular vehicle or license plate, person, investigation, or search.
What is Sanibel going to do?
“It’s privacy versus risk,” said Council member John Henshaw. “Let’s nail down our procedures so our data is protected and it’s not abused. Let’s try to improve our systems but not throw the baby out with the bathwater.”
Right now, according to Chief Dalton, Sanibel police can only search Southwest Florida. Anyone who wants a wider search must have command staff do it.
The new AI-enabled license plate readers can read bumper sticker content and more. “It’s going to be a complicated issue,” said Smith, Sanibel’s Director of IT.
“Do we want to be part of this nationwide security and surveillance system,” asked Council member Laura DeBruce.
Chief Dalton suggested keeping the program limited to Southwest Florida while turning off nationwide and statewide surveillance. He said the Flock cameras are “very valuable.”
“They help us protect the community. We have always had access to much more sensitive information than this.” (Dalton cited drivers licenses as one example.) “I don’t worry about it,” the Chief said.
Still, Council member John Henshaw asked, “When you’re driving on a public road, why would someone expect privacy? This whole issue is a little out of control.”
The consensus of City Council – except for Council member Holly Smith, who thinks it’s a privacy issue – was to ask staff to investigate alternatives and to direct the Police Department to limit the use of Flock cameras and data to Sanibel. The matter was continued to next month’s Council meeting, October 6.