Florida Bans Flock License-Plate Cameras After Deputy Used System to Track Ex-Girlfriend

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has ordered Flock license-plate cameras removed from state roadways within 30 days, bringing a privacy dispute over the surveillance system into state policy.

The order covers what the governor calls the state highway system, including interstates such as I-10 and I-75. It also says Florida will not issue future permits for Flock cameras. The state Department of Transportation will remove any cameras still operating on covered roads after the deadline.

Sheriff’s departments in Franklin, Liberty and Putnam counties said they would end their own license-plate reader programs. DeSantis said the decision reflected concern about how the data could be misused by private companies and law enforcement. “But, you also have to say, okay, how could this be misused? And how could a private company misuse the data, but also law enforcement?” he said.

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But, you also have to say, okay, 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.

The order came days after Michael Fultz resigned from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office as the agency prepared to dismiss him following an internal investigation. Fultz, named “2025 Deputy of the Year” in March 2026, faced allegations of serious misconduct, including an improper search of his former girlfriend’s license plate.

The woman contacted the sheriff’s office on the same day he received the award. An agency audit found that Fultz had searched her plate once before the start of his shift, labeling the search an investigation. Investigators said he denied using the system to spy on her or seek revenge but could not explain why he had searched the registration while off duty.

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My intention in providing this information is not to pursue personal retaliation but to ensure the agency is aware of conduct that, in my understanding, may conflict with departmental policies or professional standards.