Mike Chitwood opposes Florida's plate-reader order
Mike ChitwoodVolusia County sheriff
Mike Chitwood condemned the blanket order while acknowledging privacy concerns and calling for legislative safeguards.
“you threw the baby out with the bathwater”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Was Florida right to remove license-plate readers from state highway rights-of-way?
On August 31, 2026, the Florida Department of Transportation revoked local law-enforcement permits for automated license-plate readers in state-highway rights-of-way, citing misuse and privacy concerns. Flock Safety opposed removal in favor of regulation. Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner warned that the broad order and short deadline could hurt public safety. The order covers readers from multiple vendors in specified state-road locations, not every reader in Florida.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
News 6 reporting on the FDOT memo includes Flock Safety's direct response to the order. The article was updated September 1.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Florida ordered removal of license-plate readers from state highway rights-of-way. Several sheriffs also stopped using Flock's network.
After the quotation
Chitwood said he would comply with the order while criticizing its breadth and calling for legislative safeguards.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Chitwood criticizes the breadth of the removal order despite saying his agency will comply.
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Cocoa Beach Police weighs crime-solving cost and privacy concerns
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“This tool has helped officers within our police department to solve crimes, and its removal will make some crimes more difficult to solve.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Mike Chitwood opposes Florida's plate-reader order". First published: 2026-10-01. Last updated: 2026-10-01. https://disputeindex.com/events/4153-mike-chitwood-condemned-the-blanket-order-while-acknowledging