NewsFox 13 News (WTVT) — Local NewsJuly 29, 2026Pinellas
St. Petersburg resident protests city's automated license plate cameras
A 77-year-old resident is holding weekly protests in St. Petersburg to raise concerns about the city's use of automated license plate reader cameras. The protests highlight ongoing debates regarding data privacy, storage duration, and the scope of surveillance technology used by local police.
Read the full story at Fox 13 News (WTVT) — Local NewsWhy It Matters
The city of St. Petersburg currently operates approximately 50 Flock Safety cameras that track vehicle movements, impacting the privacy expectations and data collection practices for all drivers in the city.
Key Facts
- St. Petersburg police have approximately 50 Flock Safety cameras installed throughout the city.
- The cameras function as automatic license plate readers that compare vehicle images against law enforcement 'hot lists'.
- Carl Gunn is conducting weekly protests every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- The next scheduled protest is at the intersection of Third Street South and Sixth Avenue South.
- Flock Safety states that data sharing between agencies is disabled by default and requires manual activation by the data owner.
- Flock Safety claims every search performed on their system creates a permanent, immutable audit trail.
- Rekor Systems states that data retention periods for vehicle information vary based on the severity of the incident being investigated.
Who's Mentioned
organizationFlock Safety“The company that manufactures the automated license plate reader cameras used by”personCarl Gunn“A 77-year-old retired Florida resident protesting against automated surveillance”personCharles Degliomini“Vice president of Rekor Systems.”other50“The approximate number of Flock cameras installed in St. Petersburg.”other77“The age of the protestor, Carl Gunn.”organizationRekor Systems“A technology company providing perspective on how law enforcement agencies utili”locationSt. Petersburg“The city where the cameras are installed and the protests are occurring.”