The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office was scheduled to remove its last automated license plate reader from state highway rights-of-way Friday, Sept. 25, finishing five days before a state-imposed deadline.

The sheriff's office, which patrols unincorporated areas including Apollo Beach and Ruskin, said all but one of its affected Flock Safety cameras had already come down as of Sept. 23, WTSP first reported. The final unit was scheduled for removal Friday.

State transportation order sets Sept. 30 deadline

The removal follows a Florida Department of Transportation memorandum that revoked permits for license plate readers on state highway rights-of-way and gave law enforcement agencies 30 days to comply. The deadline is Sept. 30. The department said it would remove any devices still standing after that date.

Transportation officials cited "concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns, and surveillance schemes" in ordering the cameras down, according to WTSP's earlier report on the order. The order does not apply to cameras on roads controlled by counties or cities.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said at an Aug. 26 news conference that he does not want Florida to become a "surveillance state."

Tampa and St. Petersburg cameras also coming down

The Tampa Police Department said all 17 of its Flock cameras on state property had already been removed as of Sept. 23. Flock Safety said it is on track to have all affected devices relocated or removed by the deadline.

One unresolved question is what happens to cameras that have been deactivated but not physically taken down. In St. Petersburg, three cameras remained standing but powered off as of Sept. 23 while Flock worked to remove the poles. The department had not responded to WTSP's inquiry about whether a deactivated camera still on its pole would satisfy the order.

Johnny Johnson, who watched a crew pull two Flock cameras off a strip mall where he works, told WTSP the cameras bothered him.

"Invading the privacy. I think so. Knowing where you're at every time, you know?" Johnson said.

Plate reader debate reaches Washington

The broader debate over license plate readers reached Washington the same week. Lindsey Isaacs, a Palm Coast woman who spent nearly two weeks in jail after being wrongfully accused in a fatal crash on Interstate 4, testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 23. She told senators that troopers relied on plate-reader data and overlooked evidence clearing her, Bay News 9 reported.

Florida lawmakers are expected to consider regulations on license plate reader use when the legislative session begins in March, including possible warrant requirements and data retention limits. Residents who want to report a public safety concern in unincorporated Hillsborough County can contact the sheriff's office's nonemergency line at 813-247-8200.