As the county gets closer to establishing its very own School Zone Speed Enforcement Program, county staff ran the numbers on how many cameras are already surveilling the capital county – and it’s a lot.
There are at least 4,000 city, county and private cameras throughout Leon County collecting footage everywhere from public buildings and parks to private businesses and residences, according to county agenda materials.
This number is likely much higher, as it doesn’t include the number of cameras the Tallahassee Police Department or the Leon County Sheriff’s Office operates.
Leon County commissioners are slated to review these numbers as a part of their broader debate over how to proceed with implementing speed enforcement cameras in school zones. They next meet on May 12.
The county has been working to launch cameras to catch speeders in school zones since last fall, but county leaders have been proceeding with caution after concerns over the camera technology other counties and cities, including Tallahassee, have been using.
Vendors such as RedSpeed and Flock Safety have been under scrutiny for their use of artificial intelligence and reading of license plates, and how personal data is collected, stored and shared.
The cameras collect license plate data and other personal data — such as tag numbers, bumper stickers and car colors — designed to be used for locating stolen cars and missing people.
But an investigation by TCPalm, a member of the USA TODAY Network – Florida, discovered that South Florida law enforcement agencies have used the mass surveillance technology for other means, such as tracking protesters.
Flock cameras, among others provided by similar vendors, already are active in Leon County. Here’s how and where cameras are being used.
How are Flock cameras being used in Tallahassee, Leon County?
TPD and LCSO both contract with Flock Safety, using the company’s license plate readers to solve crimes faster and easier. Last year, TPD strategically installed 30 Flock cameras in locations that were known to be violent crime hotspots.
License plate readers also are live in more than a dozen school zones.
Over the course of 2025, TPD rolled out at least 33 cameras from a company called RedSpeed, and within the first year, the cameras caught nearly 22,000 speeding violations, bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.
Leon County is working to secure a vendor — RedSpeed and other companies are under consideration — to implement the same program in school zones that fall under the county’s jurisdiction.
In addition to the license plate readers, both law enforcement agencies maintain a system of cameras fixed to buildings, utility poles or traffic lights; body-worn cameras attached to officers and deputies; drone cameras; and infrared cameras.
“Artificial intelligence features such as facial recognition are incorporated into several of the types of cameras utilized by LCSO to support crime analysis and investigations as well as public and officer safety,” county agenda materials say.
Where else are there cameras in Tallahassee, Leon County?
There are roughly 400 cameras owned by the county that are perched atop county buildings and at parks, but the exact locations of the cameras cannot be disclosed to prevent data breaches, according to county agenda materials.
An exact number of cameras on city facilities, StarMetro buses and in city parks was not provided in the agenda materials, but the city has roughly 245 cameras are positioned at “major intersections and along key highway corridors throughout Leon County to monitor traffic flow and incidents in real time.”
Leon County Schools operates more than 3,000 cameras across the entire school district that are posted inside and outside of school properties as well as the exterior of school buses, according to county agenda materials.
The school properties use AI technology within their cameras to detect firearms. he technology is able to send images within seconds to law enforcement and school officials.
Can law enforcement tap into my personal cameras?
Yes, but only if you let them.
In a new push to increase public safety through the Capital Region Real-Time Crime Center, TPD and LCSO kickstarted an initiative called “Connect Tallahassee” that allows residents and businesses to partner with law enforcement by sharing their security camera data.
Residents have two options if they wish to participate: register their camera onto a directory and interactive map but don’t give access to the live camera footage or permit the crime center to remotely access footage from their cameras.
With the first option, the interactive map informs law enforcement there are cameras in various areas that they can request data from if necessary for an investigation. However, the resident gets the final say and can decline to share the information.
The second option was established primarily for businesses, but residents are encouraged to opt into this too. Even though the crime center can remotely access the cameras, they can only access footage based on the parameters, such as certain cameras and certain times of day, that the camera owner establishes when enrolling their device.
So far, Connect Tallahssee has 172 cameras registered through the first option and 215 cameras integrated with the crime center via the second option.
“The access to additional cameras and video footage through Connect Tallahassee assists law enforcement to better respond to active emergencies and conduct more thorough investigations of criminal activities,” agenda materials say.
Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Thousands of cameras monitor Leon County. Here’s where they are
Reporting by Elena Barrera, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
