# Hall County license plate reader misuse

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/hall-county-license-plate-reader-misuse
> Updated: 2026-09-02T00:00:00.000Z. Sources: 22. Developments: 2.

In Hall County, an investigator named Melissa Wood was terminated following an internal investigation into the misuse of the agency’s Flock Safety license plate reader system. The investigation determined that Wood used the technology to track an individual for personal reasons unrelated to law enforcement duties.

Wood is the third investigator to be fired during an ongoing audit of the Flock Safety system by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office. The agency has stated that these violations will be referred to the Hall County Solicitor’s Office and the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council for further review, while the Internal Affairs Unit continues its audit.

Broader scrutiny of Flock Safety technology has led to legislative and departmental shifts in other regions. In Florida, the Department of Transportation issued a memorandum ordering the removal of automated license plate readers on state-maintained roads within 30 days, citing data privacy concerns and reports of misuse. Governor Ron DeSantis has advocated for stricter regulations to prevent the state from becoming a “digital surveillance state.”

This regulatory environment has prompted several Florida municipalities, including Gainesville and Palm Bay, to suspend usage, while Cape Coral has discontinued the technology entirely. Similar scrutiny has impacted the Kenosha, Wisconsin, Police Department, which is transitioning from Flock to a competing system from Axon.

## Claims

- The Florida Department of Transportation revoked all permits for local law enforcement to operate license-plate reader systems on state roads. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Local law enforcement agencies must remove existing license-plate reader systems from state roadways within 30 days. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Governor Ron DeSantis urged the state legislature to consider restrictions on Flock cameras to prevent a digital surveillance state. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The Cape Coral Police Department discontinued its use of Automated License Plate Reader technology due to a lack of consistent statewide statutory guidance. (single source)
- An investigator in Hall County was fired for using the Flock Safety system to track an individual for personal reasons. (single source)
- The Kenosha Police Department is ending its contract with Flock Safety and moving to a system provided by Axon. (single source)
- The Gainesville Police Department suspended its use of automated license plate reader cameras following the state directive. (single source)
- The City of Palm Bay is suspending the use of its Flock Safety automated license plate reader system. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-02: Florida bans license plate reader cameras on state roads

Florida has banned local police from using license plate reader cameras on state roads, citing privacy and misuse concerns. Several US cities are also suspending or replacing similar surveillance technology.

18 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hall-county-investigator-fired-for-misuse-of-license-plate-readers

### 2026-08-31: Colleton County Sheriff terminates lieutenant for Flock camera misuse

A South Carolina lieutenant has been terminated for conducting unauthorized Flock camera searches involving his spouse and acquaintances, following a similar recent termination in the same county.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colleton-county-sheriff-terminates-lieutenant-for-flock-camera-misuse

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Cite as: Hall County license plate reader misuse. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/hall-county-license-plate-reader-misuse