Letter to the Commission: License Plate Reader Cameras
Dear City Council, Chief of Police and City Administrator
I spoke to Chief Kris DiGiovanni on Friday about my concerns about the newly installed license plate reader cameras on the causeway. He told me that they have not been hooked up yet.
While I do appreciate their potential positive use in helping solve crimes - there are also unintended consequences of their use - such as ICE surveillance along with Fourth Amendment concerns.
I am requesting that these cameras not be enabled until concerns about their use have been addressed publicly at a commission meeting.
My specific concerns and questions include the rules of use - who and when.
What database is being used to collect and store the data - i.e. Flock Safety, Genetec, Motorola?
Who else besides the KCB police has access to the data?
How long is the data stored?
Thank you -
Barb Haag-Heitman
Key Colony Beach
Automated License Plate Readers
Mayor@keycolonybeach.net,
Doug.Colonell@keycolonybeach.net,
Tom.Harding@keycolonybeach.net,
Tom.Difransico@keycolonybeach.net,
Kirk.Diehl@keycolonybeach.net,
cityadministrator@keycolonybeach.net,
cityclerk@keycolonybeach.net,
chief@keycolonybeach.net,
letters@PeopleAreAsking.org
Subject: Automated License Plate Readers
Good afternoon KCB Commissioners and KCB Police Officers:
I am writing to the commission and the police department in KCB to express my significant concerns about the operation of the license plate reading cameras at the end of the Causeway. I was at the commission meeting when the ALPRs (Automated License Plate Readers) on the Causeway were approved. Very few questions were asked, and little explanation was given for the necessity of installing these cameras. I assumed at the time that they were to catch speeders on the Causeway as we have no significant crime problem in KCB.
Please call a town hall meeting to inform the citizens of the significant risks, to citizen's privacy and well-being, of activating the license plate reading cameras on the Causeway. Below I state my reasons.
There is no reason the newly installed cameras cannot be turned on Monroe County citizens in retaliation by those in power if deemed expedient to their purposes.
Here are the Cons of license plate readers:
Cons of License Plate Readers
Privacy & Mass Surveillance: Critics, including the ACLU, argue that ALPRs create a "warrantless surveillance" network that tracks law-abiding citizens' movements without cause.
Flock's Aggressive Expansions Go Far Beyond Simple Driver Surveillance ...
Jay Stanley
Accuracy Issues: Most systems have a 90%–95% accuracy rate; however, factors like weathered plates, poor lighting, or high speeds can lead to misreads. This can result in innocent drivers being pulled over by police at gunpoint due to "false hits".
Data Security Risks: Vulnerabilities in some ALPR hardware have been identified, potentially allowing hackers to access live feeds or historical location data.
Lack of Regulation: There are currently few statewide or federal statutory standards in Florida for how long data can be kept or with whom it can be shared, leading to concerns about "indiscriminate" data sharing across state lines.
Potential for Abuse: There is documented potential for individuals or officers to use data to stalk partners, neighbors, or political groups for reasons unrelated to law enforcement.
My questions for the commissioners and the police:
1. Why, with 4 or more KCB police officers, do we need to record license plates in and out of KCB? I am not aware of any crime in KCB. Please avail the citizens of crime statistics for KCB that would be alleviated by the use of license plate reading cameras.
2. What information could be gathered by outside organizations invading the privacy of individuals in KCB by the license readers on the causeway?
3. What organizations will be able to see or download the information from our cameras? Who will have access to that information? In other words, how does the DOT, HWP, MCSO, FWC , CBP, and I.C.E. obtain and use the information?
4. How long is the information stored for by any of the recipients? What are all the possible uses for the information gathered using our license plate readers? Could law enforcement use this information to stalk a person who he has a conflict with? A partner? Divorce?
5. How is this not an invasion of my privacy and an invasion of privacy for every driver of a vehicle entering and exiting KCB?
I have recently become aware of the Flock cameras around Marathon and I sometimes see Highway Patrol and the Sheriff’s patrolmen running plates and or recording speeds of passing cars. It has come to my attention that these traps are also reading plates to identify immigrant vehicles. This is information they share with Customs and Border Patrol as well as ICE. Yesterday, I was privy to just such an arrangement. A junior from Marathon High School was stopped across from McDonalds by Border Control. While the boy was waiting in his car for his kidnapping to be completed, a MCSO drove, up high fived the CBP agent, ran the kid’s license, then the CBP agent handcuffed and put the young man in his car. That boy was a member of the Marathon Community and a student at Marathon High School. He had no record of doing anything wrong. HE IS NOT A CRIMINAL! No rights, no call, no lawyer, no judicial warrant—just disappeared.
Before the Causeway cameras are activated, please call a town hall meeting to share with KCB citizens the risks and rewards of the CAUSEWAY LICENSE PLATE READING CAMERAS.
Laurie Swanson
Key Colony Beach
Surveillance Cameras
To: KCB Mayor, Doug Colonell, Kirk Diehl, Tom Difransico, Tom Harding, City Administrator, City Clerk, Letters@PeopleAreAsking.org
Subject: Surveillance Cameras
Besides more cost to the citizens of Key Colony Beach what is the purpose of these cameras? Will they prevent a crime? Solutions for problems that do not exist is a waste of tax payer funds. The reality is the city of Key Colony Beach has an extremely low crime rate and the extra cost and potential liability if the system is not constantly monitored does not meet the needs test. This is a want.
Sincerely
Theodore C. Bentley
Key Colony Beach
Public Comments to the Commission: License Plate Readers
In citizen comments during the commission meeting on February 19, Barb Haag-Heitman said
So I come today in the spirit of liberty, justice for all.
Late last month, I became aware of the license plates readers, and that are the cameras being installed on the causeway, and then I decided to speak directly to Police Chief Chris D. Giovanni to learn more about it and see I so I sought him out. It was very brief encounter. Informal, that was January 23rd. I learned that the cameras had not been turned on yet, and they would be hooked up to the county system. Kris Chief stated that he didn't know the software data company that would be collecting and reporting the data although I recently learned that the vendor is InSight. I thought previously that was blocked, but it's insight database. Since I still had questions and concerns about the camera. I sent the commissioners, the city administrator and Chief DiGiovanni an email on January 26th. In this email I requested that the cameras not be enabled until the concerns about their use have been addressed publicly at the Commission meeting. My specific concerns and questions include the rules of use, who and when. Identification of the database access beyond Kcb, and the link to data storage.
I also listened to the commission meeting in July 2025 where the request was made, and the Commission approved the purchase of the camera, or cameras for $19,700. There was little discussion about the use before approval and a comment was made that this would be part of the city expansion.
Today, I'm here to request that the Commission share the policy and procedure for use of the cameras, identify all the authorized users, and I believe that ICE will have access to the data, which actually I'm not in favor of.
In addition, I would like an explanation about the Treasurer's report item on page 151 of the meeting packet, and perhaps we'll get that from Mr. Harding, that identifies the receipt of $170,000 from the Department of Homeland Security. with a question mark about agreement funding. This seems to be related to the memo of agreement between ice and the Kcb police department signed by Chief DiGiovanni on March 27, 2025. However, I couldn't find any record that that agreement was discussed at the Commission, and perhaps Chris has the authority to execute that without your review or legal review.
Just wanted to make that a public comment. Also in Section 9 of this agreement, it indicates ICE will train KCB police on immigration functions to be performed, but the exact role the KCB police after training is not to find there. I request the name of the KCP police officers who are already trained by ICE, that are connected to the payment that on page 151 in the Treasurer's report today.
I'd also like to know the plans to train more or all of the six KCB police force to be shared at a commission meeting and the release of the financial agreement that accompanies the demo A, um, if that's available. In summary, I asked the Commission to share the policy and procedure for the use of license plate reader, including but not limited to authorized users, use of the data by KCP police, and sharing of the data with other agencies.
And also at the next commission meeting, I request that there be a review and discussion of the agreement between ICE and the KCB police, and define the details of how this agreement will be operationalized in KCB.
Thank you.
In citizen comments during the commission meeting on February 19, Laurie Swanson said,
Good afternoon.
On January 16th, I was arrested, handcuffed, and stashed in a cage of a highway patrol cruiser for not using the sidewalk when I walked across 37th Street in Marathon. 37th Street has no sidewalk. The day before yesterday, I was tailgated by Customs and Border Patrol from 25th Street to 75th Street. This was just after I filmed a Marathon High School student being kidnapped by probably the same Border Patrol. The boy is in Alcatraz now, and forevermore, no doubt collusion with the Sheriff's department has… sealed his fate.
Last night, I read the MOA that Kris DiGiovani signed with ICE, and I was outraged. Did you know we now have secret police living and working among us? As far as I know, all our police are ICE agents. The same as those who shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretty in Minneapolis.
When I drive down the causeway in KCB, I've always felt a sense of relief. I'm almost home. Now I know there's a target on my back. The license plate readers are sending my license plate to ICE. Are the secret police stalking me? I know they are stalking some people, immigrant citizens to be exact. When my brown-skinned grandson visits in a few weeks and drives the causeway, one of our ICE agents stop him? If I call KCB police for help, will ICE show up? If they can track me and my friends, don't you think you will be next?
We don't need license plate reading cameras, and we don't want them. Turn off the damn cameras. We don't need or want ICE agents in KCB. Tear up that agreement with our KCB police department that they have with ICE.
Thank you.
In citizen comments during the commission meeting on February 19, Cynthia Catto said,
I think both the license plate reader. And the agreement with ICE needs to have a community meeting. I. Sadly, people don't pay as much attention as they should, but this really needs to be a full discussion. available to citizens to know exactly what the topic is. And it should be discussed because I'm very nervous about what could happen, as are other people who were surprised. When I talk to them and couldn't come today, so just… a request.
Thank you.
In citizen comments during the commission meeting on February 19, Fred Swanson said,
I also read the MOU for supporting ICE. I believe in cooperation, I believe in our police force. They're here for us.
But I don't believe ICE is. I know too many people personally that have been picked up in the last couple of months, and it's it's not American. It's un-American and we should not be supporting this stuff. It's one thing if they pick somebody up and he has an opportunity to defend himself or whatever in a court of law, but they're picking people up and putting them in cages. And then, if somebody is released and somebody was released today that was picked up about Halloween. Okay, in Marathon. Actually wasn't in Marathon. He was picked up this where he resides. That guy has been in the cage here. Alcatraz, then in Texas, and then in Arizona, I guess, or New Mexico. It's cost them thousands of dollars. Now he's been released, but he's not okay. And that should not happen. And it did. I don't want our city to support ICE in any way. I'm really angry about other things. Absolutely. But this is not right. I said the same thing to the Marathon City Council, and so I feel strongly about it.
Thank you.
