PALM BAY, Fla. — The City of Palm Bay has suspended its automated license plate reader camera system while officials review concerns about how the cameras were installed.
According to city leaders, the Palm Bay City Council directed staff to investigate the city’s FLOCK Safety camera system after questions were raised about the placement and construction of the cameras. During the review, City Manager Matthew Morton determined the cameras may not have been properly permitted or installed by FLOCK Safety, the vendor that operates the system.
As a result, Morton and Palm Bay Police Chief Jeff Spears agreed to immediately suspend the license plate reader system and all associated cameras until the review is complete.
The city said the system will be taken offline, and the cameras will be covered with hoods so residents can clearly see they are deactivated and not collecting data.
“This City Council is committed to trust, transparency and accountability,” Morton said in a statement. He added that city officials have a responsibility to review systems that affect public safety and public confidence when concerns are raised.
The decision to suspend the cameras was supported by Mayor Rob Medina, Deputy Mayor Mike Jaffe, and council members Mike Hammer, Kenny Johnson and Chandler Langevin.
City officials said the cameras will remain offline while staff conducts a comprehensive review of the permitting and installation process. Any findings and recommendations will be presented to the City Council once the review is complete.
“We are not going to ask residents to simply trust that everything is working as it should,” Morton said. “We are going to demonstrate it through transparency, accountability, and action.”
Officials have not announced a timeline for when the review will be completed or whether the camera system will return to service.
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