PALM BAY, Fla. — The City of Palm Bay has ordered the immediate suspension of its Flock automated license plate reader camera system after a preliminary review found the cameras may not have been properly permitted or installed.
The city announced Friday that the entire system will be taken offline and the physical cameras will be covered with hoods to visibly demonstrate to the public that they have been deactivated.
The review was ordered after members of the Palm Bay City Council raised concerns about the placement and construction of the cameras.
City Manager Matthew Morton subsequently determined that Flock Safety, the city’s camera vendor, may not have obtained the proper permits or installed the equipment in accordance with city requirements.
Morton and Palm Bay Police Chief Jeff Spears agreed to immediately suspend the license plate reader system and all associated cameras while the city conducts a comprehensive review.
“When questions are raised about a system that affects public safety and public confidence, we have an obligation to stop, examine the facts and make sure everything has been done properly,” Morton said.
“In this case, our preliminary review determined that the cameras may not have been properly permitted or installed by the vendor. We have therefore taken immediate action to suspend the system.”
The decision was supported by Mayor Rob Medina, Deputy Mayor Mike Jaffe and Councilmembers Mike Hammer, Kenny Johnson and Chandler Langevin, according to the city.
City staff have been directed to ensure the cameras remain offline throughout the review. The city will examine both the permitting and physical installation of the Flock system before presenting its findings and any recommendations to the City Council.
“We are not going to ask residents to simply trust that everything is working as it should,” Morton said. “We are going to demonstrate it through transparency, accountability and action.”
Morton said the cameras will remain suspended until the review is completed and the findings are presented to the council for consideration.
The city did not identify which cameras may have been improperly installed, how many cameras are affected or how long the review is expected to take.
