A MESSAGE FROM SHERIFF CHIP W. SIMMONS REGARDING THE USE OF ALPR SYSTEMS:
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has used Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology for several years as an investigative tool to help deputies and investigators solve crimes, locate dangerous offenders, and find missing and endangered people. There is no question that this technology has proven its value in keeping our community safe.
But with any law enforcement tool, especially one involving technology, there must also be accountability, clear rules, and public confidence in how it is being used.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has strict policies governing the use of ALPR technology, and violations of those policies carry serious consequences. We believe we have used this technology responsibly. However, we also recognize that individual agency policies are not enough. Floridians should be able to expect consistent standards for how this technology is used, no matter where they live or which law enforcement agency operates the system.
We are now seeing jurisdictions across Florida suspend or discontinue the use of ALPR cameras, along with recent direction from the State of Florida through the Florida Department of Transportation. With those developments and the broader questions surrounding the future of these programs statewide, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will suspend its use of ALPR camera networks at this time.
This is not a decision we have made lightly. ALPR technology has helped law enforcement solve serious crimes, identify offenders, and locate people in danger. We know it works. But we also believe that when legitimate concerns are raised about a technology used by government, those concerns deserve to be addressed.
A temporary suspension gives us an opportunity to do that the right way.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is working with our local legislative delegation, state leaders, the Florida Sheriffs Association, and its legislative committee to advocate for thoughtful statewide legislation governing the use of ALPR technology. Our goal is straightforward: establish clear and consistent rules that protect the privacy of law-abiding citizens while preserving an important investigative tool for law enforcement.
We do not believe public safety and individual privacy have to be competing interests. Good policy should protect both.
We have always believed that effective law enforcement requires the trust of the people we serve. That means using every tool available to keep our community safe, while also being willing to examine how those tools are used and ensure the appropriate safeguards are in place.
Until there is greater clarity regarding the future of ALPR programs in Florida and a consistent framework for their use, we believe suspending our use of these networks is the responsible course of action for Escambia County.
Our mission remains unchanged: protect our community, respect the rights of the people we serve, and do both with Courtesy, Integrity, and Professionalism.
Sheriff Chip W. Simmons
