PALM BAY — Palm Bay has taken its automated license plate reader camera system offline after a preliminary review found the cameras may not have been properly permitted or installed.
City Manager Matthew Morton and Police Chief Jeff Spears ordered the immediate suspension of the FLOCK Safety system and all associated cameras while a full review is completed. The cameras will remain offline and will be physically hooded so residents can see they are not operating.
The action follows direction from the City Council, which told staff to examine the placement and construction of the cameras after concerns were raised. Morton said the review indicated FLOCK Safety, the vendor, may not have followed the city’s permitting and installation requirements.
“This City Council is committed to trust, transparency and accountability, and they have consistently demonstrated that,” Morton said. “When questions are raised about a system that affects public safety and public confidence, we have an obligation to stop, examine the facts and make sure everything has been done properly. In this case, our preliminary review determined that the cameras may not have been properly permitted or installed by the vendor. We have therefore taken immediate action to suspend the system.”
Mayor Rob Medina, Deputy Mayor Mike Jaffe and Council members Mike Hammer, Kenny Johnson and Chandler Langevin supported the direction for the review.
Morton and Spears have instructed staff to keep the system suspended throughout the examination of the permitting and installation process. Any findings and recommendations will be returned to the council.
“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. The cameras will be suspended, their use will remain suspended during this review, and we will bring the facts and any recommendations back to the City Council for their consideration.”
