Pembroke Pines suspends license plate readers as South Florida mayors push back on DeSantis order
Pembroke Pines police announced on Wednesday that it is suspending the use of license plate readers in the city.
This comes as several mayors in South Florida are challenging Governor Ron DeSantis's order to remove all license plate-reading cameras on state roads.
"We hate to give the criminals a win here," said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner.
Meiner, along with mayors from Aventura, Sunny Isles, and other neighboring cities, sent a letter to the state requesting a pause in enforcement and additional rules to protect people's privacy.
"Whether it be a little more time to implement, whether it allows the state legislature to pass that legislation to have the safeguards put in the disciplinary measures if somebody misuses it, I'm all for that," Meiner said.
Meiner says of Miami Beach's roughly 40 cameras, about half sit on state roads like Alton Road and Collins Avenue.
"We can protect people's privacy while keeping public safety," Meiner said.
Pembroke Pines is the latest city to suspend the LPR cameras due to the state order
On Wednesday, the Pembroke Pines Police announced it is suspending the use of license plate readers effective immediately.
The city said the cameras have significant public safety value, but the technology must be guided by clear laws to maintain trust.
"We still solved the crimes before we had the cameras; we still did what we had to do — so instead of wasting our money on something like that, why don't we put it to use on something better and more productive for the community," said Luciano Gonzalez.
The state directive includes the controversial Flock cameras that capture tag numbers and vehicle details. Some argue that personal privacy is being violated.
In Georgia, multiple deputies are facing charges for stalking people using Flock data.
"If law enforcement came to me and said we're 100% certain we're using this for the right reasons and we're not misusing it, then okay, you have a valid argument. But that's not true. Constantly you hear it in the news — misused by a police officer, used to track somebody when there was no crime, used for personal gain. That was wrong," Gonzalez said.
Meiner said the technology plays a vital role in keeping the streets safe.
"We've been able to trace cars leaving our city that have committed crimes; we've been able to apprehend violent criminals; we've taken weapons, including machine guns, drugs off our streets," Meiner said.
On Wednesday, the Miami-Dade County Association of Chiefs of Police sent CBS News Miami this statement on the matter:
"The Miami-Dade County Association of Chiefs of Police strongly supports the responsible use of License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology as a critical law enforcement and public safety tool. LPR systems help officers locate dangerous offenders and missing persons, recover stolen vehicles, identify vehicles associated with serious crimes, and provide investigators with timely information that can be instrumental in solving cases. Simply put, when properly used, LPR technology helps law enforcement protect our communities and solve crimes.
We also recognize that powerful technology requires strong safeguards. Agencies must maintain clear policies governing access, use, retention, auditing, and accountability. Any intentional misuse or unauthorized access should be investigated immediately and, when substantiated, addressed swiftly — up to and including termination, as well as prosecution if criminal statutes were violated. Misuse should never be tolerated.
At the same time, the misconduct of an individual should not be used to discredit or eliminate a technology that provides significant public safety benefits every day. The answer to misuse is accountability, not abandoning an effective law enforcement tool. With appropriate safeguards and oversight, LPR technology strikes an important balance between protecting individual privacy and providing law enforcement with the tools necessary to keep our communities safe."
According to the state directive, local law enforcement agencies must remove the cameras within 30 days, or the state will do it for them.