Oviedo, Fla. — The city has taken down every one of its eight Flock license plate reader cameras following a decisive vote by the city council on Monday night. Mayor Megan Sladek told local media that the devices are “completely off the poles, not just offline, but they are gone,” underscoring the administration’s commitment to responding to resident concerns.
Removal process and current status
Police provided an exclusive look at four of the cameras, which were leased from the private company Flock. Those four units are now stored at the Oviedo Police Department and will be returned to the vendor, though the exact timeline for shipment remains unclear.
Three of the leased cameras had previously been stolen, recovered and sent to a lab for testing. Officers removed the remaining four cameras themselves on Tuesday morning, including one located on State Road 434 near State Road 417.
Resident reaction and privacy concerns
Local resident Gabriella Mengel expressed satisfaction with the removal, saying it showed city officials listen to community voices. “That’s proof that, hey, they do listen to us and they do care what their citizens and their community have to say,” Mengel said.
While Mengel acknowledged that license plate readers can have legitimate uses, she warned about the broader implications of a network of cameras feeding data into a single database. “There are good uses for them. However, the concern happens when you have this network of all these different cameras that feed into the same database,” she explained.
Mayor’s privacy stance
Mayor Sladek emphasized worries about who might access the data recorded by Oviedo’s cameras. “Even though our subscription did not allow our officers to access that information and use it to solve crimes, other jurisdictions who had paid for that access could use our equipment to detect video of bumper stickers, make and model,” she said.
She noted that misuse by “bad apples” has undermined the system’s potential benefits, but expressed hope for stronger safeguards in the future. Sladek also called for the state to develop a single license plate reader policy that would apply to all agencies, providing consistent rules and protections.
Next steps
The city will gain more clarity on its next actions once the Florida Legislature reconvenes in January. In the meantime, Oviedo residents can expect the cameras to remain off‑pole and stored securely while the city works toward a policy solution that balances public safety with privacy rights.
Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.
