By Justin Baltes, Interning Correspondent for The Apopka Voice
In Summary:
Apopka residents questioned the city’s use of Flock automated license plate reader cameras during Wednesday’s City Commission meeting. Speakers argued that searchable travel records pose privacy risks and urged officials to remove the cameras or decline future contracts. The commission took no action on the camera system.
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At its Wednesday meeting, the Apopka City Commission faced public comments about automated license plate reader cameras.
Several commenters opposed Apopka's use of Flock automated license plate reader cameras, arguing the technology raises privacy concerns and lets the government create a searchable record of people's movements.
Related: Florida’s Flock camera restrictions leave privacy questions for Apopka drivers.
Eric Westerfield, an Apopka resident, called on the city to reconsider using and expanding Flock cameras.
Westerfield said his concerns were not directed at law enforcement but at how the technology can be used to track residents. He questioned whether cameras are always operated within the limits of their agreements and raised concerns about how the system handles the information it collects.
Justin Harvey also spoke against the cameras, saying residents should be able to live in a safe community without creating what he described as a surveillance network.
Harvey said there is a difference between seeing a vehicle travel down a public road and creating a searchable database showing where people have traveled.
He also questioned the increasing use of artificial intelligence and other capabilities associated with modern license plate reader systems.
Gwen Guthrie of D Flock Seminole also urged the commission to remove the cameras and reject future contracts or renewals.
Guthrie said she travels throughout Central Florida for work and argued that ALPR cameras capture people who may not even live in the communities where the cameras are located.
She cited other Central Florida communities that have removed or suspended similar cameras and urged Apopka to decide for itself rather than waiting for Orange County to address the issue.
No action was taken Wednesday to remove or suspend Apopka's Flock cameras.
Key Points:
- Residents raised privacy concerns about Apopka’s use of Flock automated license plate reader cameras.
- Speakers questioned how the city collects, handles, and uses camera data to track people’s movements.
- Justin Harvey distinguished observing vehicles on public roads from creating searchable records of where people travel.
- Gwen Guthrie urged Apopka to remove the cameras and decline future contracts or renewals.
- Commissioners took no action to remove or suspend the cameras during Wednesday’s meeting.
