ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — State Sen. John Albers said Georgia will not follow Florida’s lead in banning Flock automated license plate reader (LPR) cameras, even as law enforcement agencies in both states investigate misuse of the technology by their own officers.

Albers, R-District 56, chairs the Georgia Senate Public Safety Committee. He said Flock cameras have helped solve major cases in Georgia, including the 2025 Midtown Atlanta shooting, when the technology helped authorities apprehend a suspect in Cobb County.

Albers also said 10,000 missing people were found nationwide last year with help from the cameras, including trafficking and kidnapping victims.

“Flock cameras have been one of the greatest advancements in crime fighting in the last probably 25 years,” Albers said.

Recent misuse cases

A Tift County sheriff’s deputy was demoted and had his access to sensitive, confidential data systems revoked after an internal investigation found he misused the agency’s Flock system, according to the Tift County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Gene Scarbrough said the issue was discovered during an audit of the agency’s data systems, which found discrepancies in the Flock system. The investigation determined the deputy had searched his own personal data.

Scarbrough’s administration issued a memo to the agency emphasizing a “zero-tolerance” policy for behavior that could damage community trust, and deputies were told to review policies on confidential data systems. The sheriff’s office has not released additional details about what information was searched or whether further discipline could follow.

Albers said it was sheriff’s departments and police departments themselves—not the state—that conducted the audits that uncovered the misuse.

“[The sheriff’s offices] immediately reacted. They brought in the right agencies. They made the right decisions to take care of their own house,” Albers said.

Task force reviewing policies

Albers said he is participating in a task force formed by the Georgia Sheriff’s Association and the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police to review policies and procedures around the cameras. He said the group is also talking with Flock, the camera manufacturer, about adding permission levels and protections to the system.

“There’s also a balance of privacy, transparency and people doing the right thing,” Albers said. “Both of these things can be true at the very same time.”

Albers said the following topics are being discussed:

• Adding warnings within the system about permitted uses
• Requiring a second person to approve a search before it can be conducted
• Additional training on policies and procedures.

“We are a little out of balance right now,” Albers said. “And we’re going to change that.”

According to Flock Safety, the cameras are designed to record vehicle sightings at a specific place and time, capture license plates and vehicle characteristics and provide leads for investigators to assess alongside other evidence.

The company says the cameras do NOT:

• Identify people by their faces
• Identify who is inside a vehicle
• Continuously track people or vehicles
• Replace investigators or human judgment
• Allow customers to access a live video feed.

Florida bans cameras from state highways

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered all Flock cameras removed from the state’s highway system within 30 days, citing concerns over misuse of the technology.

The order applies to Florida roads including interstates 10 and 75. If the cameras are not removed within 30 days, the Florida Department of Transportation said the state will remove them. FDOT also said it will deny future permits for the cameras.

Sheriff’s departments in Franklin, Liberty and Putnam counties in Florida have announced they are ending their own license plate reader programs following the governor’s order.

DeSantis said his administration supports law enforcement but cited concerns about how the data could be misused.

“How could this be misused? And how could a private company misuse the data, but also law enforcement? We know there was an officer in Florida who was using the LPR data to track, like, an ex-girlfriend or something like that,” DeSantis said.

The Florida order applies only to the state highway system; cameras may remain on city and county roads unless the state legislature acts to further restrict them next year. DeSantis called for a legislative solution in the spring.

In Georgia

No counties in Georgia currently have a formal, countywide legal ban on Flock cameras, though local pushback, contract cancellations and discussions about removal are occurring in some communities.

Albers said he does not believe Georgia should follow Florida’s approach.

“I think throwing the baby out with the bathwater is a really foolish idea,” Albers said. “And to take away the greatest crime fighting tool we’ve had in 25 years, a knee jerk reaction, I don’t think is very responsible or smart.”

Albers said a couple of “bad apples” should not change the overall use of the technology.

“In this case, I believe we can maintain the privacy, transparency that people deserve, but at the same time, make sure we’re using modern day tools to catch the bad guys,” Albers said.

Albers said he leads the Senate Public Safety Committee alongside Sen. Russ Goodman and others.

“We are very thoughtful, very cognizant of our citizens’ concerns, to make sure we are doing the right thing for them,” Albers said. “While at the same time, we’re all about backing the blue in Georgia, and making sure that we’re protecting our citizens... Criminals know that there’s no place to hide in our great state of Georgia.”

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