Florida Sheriff Compares ‘DeFlock’ Efforts to ‘Defund the Police’
A Florida sheriff dismissed growing concerns over Flock cameras in his community as ignorance, asserting that the AI-powered automated license plate readers (ALPRs) are essential to help solve crimes, and compared efforts to “deFlock” the community to cities who want to defund the police.
“Listen, we hold our people accountable in the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, we have had license plate reader technology, not just Flocks, since 2017. When I came on as sheriff, it’s on steroids now too, as well, because I do not want to be that community that cannot solve crime,” he said, defending the additional surveillance and dismissing critics as ignorant.
Much like opposition to data centers, the pushback to Flock cameras is largely bipartisan. Leon County, a Democratic stronghold, voted in July to reject grant funding earmarked for Flock cameras following a public outcry.
Three hours down Interstate 10, Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves, a registered Republican, recently won re-election by a comfortable margin. His constituents have protested the City Council’s decision last year to use $108,000 from an opioid settlement to purchase 18 Flock cameras.
h/t Doctor Congo