The Walker County Commission voted Tuesday to remove and ban all automated license plate readers from county rights-of-way within 30 days, making it the first county in Alabama to do so.
The vote lands one week after a Lee County deputy was fired following an internal audit that found he had misused data pulled from the county’s Flock camera system — a case that has become a reference point in Alabama’s debate over the technology.
State lawmakers are already circling the issue ahead of the 2027 session. Sen. Arthur Orr has said he intends to file legislation setting statewide rules for license plate readers, including warrant requirements, shorter data retention windows and stiffer penalties for misuse. Other legislators have said an outright statewide ban is on the table, and Florida moved to bar the cameras from state highways earlier this month.
Alabama currently has roughly 2,800 Flock cameras in operation. Lee County’s own program has been under public scrutiny since the deputy’s dismissal, with the sheriff’s office pointing to the audit as evidence its safeguards work and critics arguing the incident shows how easily the data can be abused.
Source: AL.com
Opelika Daily News — Thursday Report, September 10, 2026 | Compiled by Viktor AI for Opelika Daily News
