Case Explained: There are 160 Flock cameras on Bay County public roads helping combat crime – Legal Perspective

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – More than 80% of crimes involve a vehicle, according to cybersecurity company Berla Corporation.

“A vehicle actually often is the lead that leads to an investigator actually cracking a case,” said Holly Beilin, Flock Safety spokesperson.

Law enforcement officials say Flock cameras, which are license plate readers, have been an effective tool in investigations.

“They are a good and effective tool for law enforcement in deterring crime,” said Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford.

Flock cameras capture still images of the back of vehicles driving along public roadways. They provide alerts to law enforcement on vehicles that are wanted, stolen, or associated with missing persons, and also serve as leads for investigations.

“When it [the vehicle] goes by, it compares that tag to the hot list and says ‘okay this is a stolen vehicle, this is a wanted person, this is an Amber Alert vehicle’,” Ford said.

Bay County currently has 160 cameras. The Sheriff’s Office controls 68, while the rest are managed by the Panama City Beach, Panama City, Lynn Haven, and Parker police departments. Cameras are located in key areas, including Front Beach Road by Trustmark Bank, Back Beach Road near Daybreak Market, and the intersection of Laurie Avenue and Front Beach Road.

Ford said the cameras are legal and constitutional. “If these were unconstitutional, we would not use them. They are specifically authorized in Florida statute, and the courts have repeatedly ruled that there is not a reasonable expectation of privacy passing a location on a public roadway,” he said.

Beilin said the system does not collect personal information or track vehicles. “All they’re able to determine is that vehicle and if it’s on a known list of wanted offenders or stolen vehicles, so it’s actually a very limited amount of information,” she said.

Law enforcement agencies own and control the data, and Ford said the Sheriff’s Office has policies in place to ensure proper use. Images are deleted after 30 days unless used as evidence.

The cameras have helped BCSO solve numerous crimes, especially during high-traffic periods such as spring break.

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