HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — Cameras were discovered at different intersections and areas in Hernando County.
Three are at an intersection on Spring Hill Drive, and another is outside the Hernando County jail next to a bail bonds office, all hung on poles with solar panels to power them.
“About two weeks ago, I was driving around, and I started noticing them throughout the county, and I started to wonder what they were," said Hernando County resident Joseph Puglia.
After a little research, the retired New York City police officer Puglia found out these are surveillance cameras made by a company called Flock. Law enforcement agencies and homeowners’ associations use these cameras to read and record license plates.
Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and County government haven’t acknowledged the cameras even exist.
ABC Action News sent the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office a public records request to find out about the cameras, but the agency wouldn’t answer any of our questions.
Deputies say according to state law, they are exempt from having to release information on surveillance techniques.
They also sent us an email from Sheriff Al Nienhuis to other high-ranking members of the sheriff’s office and county government, but the entire email was redacted.
“We live in a Democracy, and it should be up to the people at the end of the day to decide is this government powers that we are ok with them having," said Jay Stanley, a privacy expert with the American Civil Liberties Union.
He says the ACLU doesn’t have a problem with scanning license plates connected to a crime, but these cameras track everyone’s car.
“You may not think you care that much, but it records your location, where you are going, and when. That could be very sensitive information and the Supreme Court has ruled that it’s very sensitive information. In some cases protected by the 4th Amendment to the Constitution.”
Some communities have been able to block the Flock cameras.
The Akron Beacon Journal reported last year that a city council in an Akron suburb rejected a proposal to put up 15 cameras after people opposed the surveillance.
The Hamilton Township Police Department, near Cincinnati, OH, put up dozens of the cameras and were open about how they are using them.
We couldn’t find any officials who would talk about the cameras in Hernando County.
“If you are transparent with the people that you serve and you let them know, this is what we are going to be doing. We are not going to be keeping everyday tabs on our constituents. We are more focused on crime. If you are committing a crime and you get caught up in it, well that’s on you. I certainly have no problem with that," said
Puglia.
Flock says its cameras don’t use facial recognition technology and have helped to significantly reduce crime.
