Chief WINK Investigates Reporter Chorus Nylander. WINK News Reporter Maddie Herron. WINK Investigates Producer Robin Wolfe
•7/31/2026
CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK) — Automated license plate readers mounted on utility poles across Southwest Florida have sparked a heated debate between community privacy advocates and law enforcement agencies, with tensions escalating to recent device damage in Cape Coral that are under investigation for possible vandalism.
The cameras, primarily manufactured by industry giant Flock Safety, go beyond traditional license plate tracking. Using advanced artificial intelligence, they create a detailed "3D fingerprint" of passing vehicles.
"It tells everything about your car, not just a license plate," said Richard Kolko, a retired FBI agent. "It can come up with the make, model, color, [and] dents in the car. That can make it very identifiable by not just police, but anyone who is looking for that vehicle."
Kolko noted that because the data is accessible without a warrant or court order, courts will likely spend years establishing how the information can legally be used.
Independent researcher Chris Van Pelt, who tracks camera installations nationwide, criticized the rollout bluntly: "Let’s just call it what it is: mass surveillance."
Police departments maintain that the tools are vital for solving violent crimes amid rising service demands. Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore noted on a recent department podcast that emergency call volumes have surged by 75% this year, making the technology a necessary force multiplier.
"They are not the magic bullet that people think they are, but they are pivotal," Sizemore said. "It is one piece of a puzzle. If the information that is gathered is misused, those individuals who abuse it will be dealt with like any other tool that is misused."
Sizemore pointed to a recent local homicide investigation where a witness's general description of a suspect vehicle, combined with license plate reader data, helped officers isolate a target vehicle as a starting point.
An Amber Alert in Marion County last week, ended with the safe recovery of a kidnapped teenager. Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said his deputies used such license plate readers to find the suspect.
"Thankfully because of the Amber Alert, a citizen saw it. Saw the vehicle, continued to follow, but it wasn't just only the citizen. This girl was rescued because of an LPR and a citizen combined together."
Private organizations are also opting into the network. Church United Naples installed cameras on its property this year. Pastor David Jacinto told Chief WINK Investigates Reporter Chorus Nylander in February that the devices offer parishioners peace of mind and a secure environment.
“So it gives peace of mind not only to them but us as well that we have a secure environment,” he said.
Addressing privacy concerns and questions over where and how data is stored, Flock Safety emphasized that data ownership remains with the client. In a statement to WINK Investigates during our February investigation the company said:
“Each Flock customer fully owns and controls 100% its data and controls their own sharing settings. Each Flock customer has sole authority over if, when, and with whom information is shared. Agencies can choose to share with individual nearby agencies on a 1:1 basis, in a geographic radius, or opt into the Statewide or National Lookup networks. We do not opt agencies into national sharing and they can change or revoke any sharing settings at their discretion.”
Chief Sizemore reinforced that stance, stating, "We don’t sell the data, Flock doesn’t sell the data—it’s our data. We don’t have the time or the staff to go looking for you."
As debates, public forums, and investigations continue, local agencies maintain the technology remains a critical asset in modern policing, while critics argue the trade-off for personal privacy is too high.
You can listen to the full podcast discussion with Chief Sizemore here.
If you have a story you’d like WINK Investigates to look into, email us at winkinvestigates@winknews.com or call our tip line at 239-344-5074.
