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Lake County commissioners agree to outlaw surveillance cameras on county property and roads

Standalone cameras that photographed cars and recoredd licenses plates were place all around Lake County. Photo: Josh Blake
Standalone cameras that photographed cars and recoredd licenses plates were place all around Lake County. Photo: Josh Blake

Lake County will soon outlaw surveillance cameras on county roads and property, with exceptions carved out for traffic cameras and homeowners associations.

Their agreement came at Tuesday's County Commission meeting.

Commissioner Josh Blake raised the issue of roadside surveillance last month after the crime-fighting technology company Flock Safety set up 98 cameras reading license plates in Lake County.

It was part of a pilot program coordinated with the Sheriff's Office.

Blake got the commission to order them removed.

"In five years on the County Commission," he said Tuesday. "I've never had so lopsided a response to something that came up. And I mean even people who I don't agree with politically on any other matter reached out and said thank you for trying to keep this from becoming a surveillance state."

Now commissioners have agreed to prohibit surveillance cameras on county property and right-of-ways, with fines of 500 or a thousand dollars a day.

The ordinance will have exceptions and allow specific uses approved by the commission.

Joe Byrnes came to WMFE/WMFV from the Ocala Star-Banner and The Gainesville Sun, where he worked as a reporter and editor for several years. Joe graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans and turned to journalism after teaching. He enjoys freshwater fishing and family gatherings.
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