06/25/2026
A wonderful asset to solving child and adult abductions, amongst many other things.
Recently there has been a lot of chatter on social media about the use of License Plate Readers (LPRs) in Clay County. This has got some folks seriously concerned about the use of these systems by our Sheriff's Office.
Rather than allowing misinformation to spread we wanted to share some facts regarding LPRs.
We are not accessing or downloading ANY personal information from passing motorists. The only information captured is photos of the rear of the vehicle which captures images of license plates. That information can then be accessed to lookup information already on file with the DMV. The images captured can be reviewed for time and location.
Why might this be important to law enforcement? Several reasons!
First, it allows law enforcement to quickly enter a plate to look for a vehicle we are looking for, typically on a "BOLO" which stands for be on the lookout. Recently a neighboring county was notified about a homicide suspect entering their jurisdiction and, in that case, they were able to apprehend a murder suspect.
Second, it allows law enforcement to search for abducted children. Many times, when amber alerts are issued there is a vehicle associated with a suspect. For law enforcement, time is critical to locate the vehicle associated with child abductions.
Third, it allows law enforcement to search for missing and or elderly people who may have dementia very rapidly. The Clay County Sheriff's Office just two days ago, located an 82-year-old Clay County resident in South Carolina using Flock data after issuing a silver alert. Fortunately, deputies from CCSO drove to SC and drove the elderly man back home.
Fourth, it allows law enforcement to track individuals with outstanding criminal warrants. Part of our job is locating individuals, often times dangerous ones, and bringing them to jail. Having access to a network of between 80,000 - 100,000 cameras nationwide helps law enforcement apprehend individuals who have warrants for their arrest.
Fifth, it does assist with criminal investigations such as those regarding crimes of larceny, drug dealing, and many more serious crimes by patterning known associates who are frequently involved in criminal investigations. The value of this tool to combat crime cannot be overstated.
Clay County does have access to the Flock brand of cameras and we own five. In addition, we own four others from a different brand which were funded by grants. Not one of our LPR systems sit on public property. Not one of our LPR systems captures images of drivers. Our cameras are not like those in other states where civil fines area applied for traffic infractions such as seat belt non-compliance, entering an intersection emitting a red signal, or holding a cell phone.
At first glance, some might view it has unconstitutional. Federal courts have ruled otherwise such as in the case of Schmidt v. City of Norfolk. See the link below for more information regarding this case.
There are many businesses, mainly home improvement and large retail stores which are utilizing the same technology to combat shoplifting on their private property. The cameras and the systems are simply another tool to access information which is already public via a registration number plate attached to the rear of the vehicle. As technology increases so does the tactics of criminals. In order to keep up, law enforcement must follow the evolution of technology in order to remain effective. This is another evolution of crime fighting tools.
History has similar lessons when law enforcement began using radios, when collecting fingerprints became the norm, how DNA analysis technology came about and has since been used for the guilty and the innocent alike, and how cyber-crime investigations continues to evolve. In 2026 we are working hard to modernize our capabilities to prevent crime and solve problems. LPRs have been nothing but a positive for those endeavors thus far.
Finally, we want to emphasize that we hold ourselves to a high standard with regard to officer conduct. By having different levels of access, audits on system usage, and strict oversight we have had zero cases of misuse of LPR systems in Clay County. We have also had zero cases of misuse of software systems such as DCI, CJ Leads, TLO, and others which provide the same or even more information provided by LPR systems.
We strive to be transparent with the citizens of Clay County. If you have questions or would like more information on these systems or if we can answer any questions, please forward them to Chief Deputy Faggard or Lt. Moore. We will be happy to speak with anyone regarding this topic.
https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/federal-court-confirms-license-plate-readers-are-constitutional
