St. Lucie County drops probe of unpermitted Flock cameras

St. Lucie County, Florida, will not investigate the ownership of seven Flock cameras found on public roads without proper permits. The county discovered the devices during a recent takedown effort and has since closed the matter.

The Port St. Lucie Police Department’s contract with Flock increased from $22,000 to $470,000 over three years. The county mandated the removal of these cameras from county roads in 2025. Officials cited a lack of resources to determine who owned the unpermitted units.

A Flock spokesperson told The Washington Post that a police department mistakenly issued guidance stating officers could install multiple cameras under a single permit. The county required individual permits for each device. Neither Flock nor the police departments in Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce will confirm which agency provided that guidance.

Erick Gill, a St. Lucie County spokesperson, stated that the county’s primary goal was removing the cameras rather than identifying the owners. The county provided owners with 30 days to take down the equipment without facing inquiries.

Five of the 12 cameras found were claimed by city law enforcement. The remaining seven disappeared after the deadline. Residents who petitioned for the removals expressed concern about how the collected data is being used.

Hannah Galindo, a 31-year-old resident, told The Washington Post that she worried the data could be anywhere. She described the process as an effort to sweep the issue under the rug.