Tampa St. Petersburg, FL, August 28, 2026 — Pasco County is set to remove approximately 60 Flock cameras that have been positioned in public rights-of-way across the county. The decision follows a period of significant public outcry and evident hesitation among county commissioners regarding the surveillance technology.

The agreement for the Flock cameras has been terminated by Sheriff Chris Nocco, with the removal effective September 30. While Sheriff Nocco expressed his personal opposition to discontinuing the program, he cited the county commissioners’ lack of support as the driving factor behind the decision.

The Flock camera system, a type of automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology, has been a subject of debate in various communities. These cameras are designed to capture images of license plates and compare them against hotlists of wanted vehicles. In Pasco County, their deployment on public thoroughfares led to concerns voiced by residents, prompting the commissioners to reconsider their use.

The specific details regarding the duration of the agreement, the costs associated with the cameras, or the exact nature of the public outcry were not provided in the summary. Similarly, the process for the physical removal of the cameras and the future plans, if any, for license plate reading technology in Pasco County remain unspecified.

Sheriff Nocco’s statement indicates a division between law enforcement’s operational preferences and the expressed will or concerns of elected officials and the public. The termination date of September 30 marks a definitive end to the current camera program. Further information regarding the implications of this removal for local law enforcement operations or public safety initiatives has not been detailed.


Story summarized from the original created by By John C. Cotey, Beacon Media on www.tampabay.com, see more information here.

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