Nearly four years after adopting license plate reader technology, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has released data and answers to frequently asked questions following renewed public interest in the camera systems.

• Sheriff Eric Aden first announced the adoption of Flock Safety cameras in February 2022 as a tool to fight crime and locate missing persons. The technology drew fresh attention after citizens began asking county commissioners about the cameras appearing on local roadways.

During the Jan. 6 Board of County Commissioners meeting, Chairman Trey Goodwin said he had received numerous inquiries from residents questioning the small black poles topped with cameras. The permits for the cameras had been approved at the staff level without coming before the board for discussion.

The sheriff’s office has since released a FAQ document and patrol case data addressing questions about how the cameras are used and how data is secured.

According to sheriff’s office records, Flock cameras have assisted patrol deputies in 171 incidents from the program’s inception through Dec. 4, 2025. The data reflects only cases included in patrol end-of-shift reports and does not include investigations division cases.

• Of those 171 incidents, 129 resulted in an apprehension or arrest.

Stolen vehicle cases account for the largest share of the data, with 95 incidents. The cameras have also assisted in 17 missing person or missing juvenile cases, eight warrant service operations, seven shooting investigations, three kidnapping cases and two homicide investigations.

Top Incident Categories by Volume

The most recent entry in the data, dated Dec. 4, 2025, documents a case Deputy County Administrator Jason Autrey referenced during the commission meeting. A mother reported her uncle had taken her 15-year-old daughter without consent and was believed to be heading to New York. Flock data showed the vehicle had actually traveled to Ocala, where the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force located the vehicle, the juvenile and the uncle. An arrest warrant had been obtained.

The sheriff’s office has deployed 79 Flock Safety cameras throughout the county. That includes 28 cameras on 26 county-maintained roadways, which were the focus of the commission meeting. The remaining cameras are on state and city roads. The office opted not to purchase mobile units for patrol vehicles to save costs.

The FAQs address data security concerns raised by commissioners and citizens. According to the sheriff’s office, other law enforcement agencies cannot access camera data without permission from the agency administrator and must provide credentials, agency information and valid investigatory reasons for access. All requests and queries are logged.

The system administrator conducts periodic audits to ensure policy compliance, and the Criminal Justice Information Services division conducts annual audits, the document states. Staff members who access any law enforcement database for personal use face disciplinary action including possible termination or criminal prosecution.

Data captured by the cameras is retained for 30 days and then deleted unless designated as evidence, according to the sheriff’s office. Flock Safety does not own or sell customer data under the contract terms. Flock employees must complete CJIS training and background checks to access sheriff’s office data.

• According to the FAQ, the cameras do not use facial recognition software and do not capture cellphone data.

The document also addresses what the sheriff’s office called the biggest misconception about the technology: “These cameras are not ‘Red Light’ or ‘School Zone’ cameras that issue citations to drivers. They are ONLY used as an investigative tool to prevent and solve crime.”

Frequently Asked Questions from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office:

How many cameras are deployed in the field by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office? The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has deployed 79 Flock Safety Cameras throughout the county. These automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras are a proven, important tool specifically designed to help prevent and solve crimes. The use of this tool has helped aid our agency in solving homicides, locating missing persons, and recovering stolen vehicles.

Can other law enforcement agencies review the information we have from Flock Safety Cameras without permission from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office? No. While the OCSO participates in Flock Safety’s nationwide network to support cross-jurisdictional investigations, all data remains under our local control. Law enforcement agencies can access our camera data only with permission from our agency administrator. If approved, an agency must provide credentials, agency information, and valid investigatory reasons for accessing the information. In addition, all requests and queries are logged and auditable by our agency administrator.

Does the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office conduct audits to determine who is accessing information with the database? Yes. The system administrator conducts periodic audits to ensure policy compliance and monitor use. In addition, he or she can observe every record accessed. Deputies, investigators, dispatchers, and crime analysts in our Real Time Crime Center have access to the Flock database to assist them with criminal investigations. “Hot Plate” expirations are reviewed by the system administrator and criminal analysts following the thirty-day expiration to ensure compliance and determine if the timeframe needs to be extended based upon investigation needs. Additionally, Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) conducts annual audits to ensure compliance. The OCSO has strict policies restricting any member of our staff from accessing any law enforcement database for personal use. Violators face disciplinary action that may include termination and/or criminal prosecution.

What are the retention rules for information generated by Flock Safety Cameras? Captured data is retained for 30 days and deleted when the data is not designated as evidence in a criminal investigation. User queries which contain the user profile are retained indefinitely to allow the Agency Administrator to conduct audits to ensure user compliance. “Hot Plates” will have a thirty day expiration. Any evidence that is obtained through an ALPR deployment, or the collection of evidence through any of the ALPR databases related to a criminal case or investigation, shall be retained in Evidence.Com indefinitely.

Does Flock have any unauthorized access to our data? Flock is able to access the cameras when they receive alerts for maintenance. Flock employees do not access customer data except in tightly controlled, audited circumstances for support or maintenance. Flock employees are required to complete CJIS training and background checks to have access to Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office data.

Does Flock own or sell data obtained from Flock Safety Cameras in our county? No. By contract, Flock does not own and shall not sell customer data, customer generated data, or anonymized data.

Does the OCSO have Flock cameras that use facial recognition software? No.

Does the Flock camera capture cellphone data (IMEI numbers)? No.

Does the OCSO utilize a Flock Transparency Portal? Not currently but we are evaluating the use of the product to ensure what is available is easy to view and comprehend for the public and media.

Does the OCSO have to receive permission to place the cameras on local and state road right-of-ways? Yes.

What is a “Hot List” used by law enforcement in criminal investigations? A Hot List is a watchlist of license plates associated with criminal investigation related issues such as fugitives, missing persons, and stolen vehicles. There are two types of Hot Lists available to Flock users. The first consists of vehicle tags entered into the National Crime Information Center/Florida Crime Information Center (NCIC/FCIC) by law enforcement agencies across the state. The list auto-syncs between Flock and NCIC throughout the day and remains active until removed by the original entering agency. The second “Hot List” is created when a local user enters vehicle information associated with an active investigation. This entry remains active for thirty days.

What is a “Hot Plate”? A Hot Plate is a license plate associated with vehicles of interest from an associated database such as the NCIC or from a local source, including agency generated “hot lists.” “Hot Plates” will be removed from Flock Safety and the LEARN database once their investigative purpose has been achieved, i.e. the suspect has been apprehended, the missing person located, or the stolen vehicle recovered.

What is the biggest misconception about Flock Safety Camera systems? These cameras are not “Red Light” or “School Zone” cameras that issue citations to drivers. They are ONLY used as an investigative tool to prevent and solve crime. They are not a tool used to issue citations.