FL License Plate Cameras Under Fire | Tampa News

Florida’s state government is ordering law enforcement to remove automated license plate readers from all state highways within 30 days, sparking a heated debate over public safety versus privacy. While Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri supports the move on state roads, he insists his county-owned cameras—motion-activated and vital for solving crimes and locating missing persons—must stay up. He cites real cases where the tech led to arrests and rescued a 99-year-old man. Meanwhile, privacy advocates push for full removal, even on county roads, as some cities like Tampa and St. Petersburg pull cameras off state highways but keep them in urban areas. Pasco County has already canceled its contract, warning it will hurt crime-solving efforts. The tension between security and civil liberties is escalating across the state. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/1f064a43898f83f2