Broward County, Florida • Public records & oversight
About Deflock Broward
Deflock Broward is a county-level public records and oversight project that documents how automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems operate in Broward County — including how they create searchable records of vehicle movements — and equips residents with verified information to advocate for their removal.
Purpose
ALPR systems are adopted and expanded through local contracts, policies, and budget decisions. Those choices are made by municipalities and law enforcement agencies, often through routine agenda items that are easy to miss unless someone is watching.
ALPR systems capture time-stamped location data tied to specific vehicles. When retained and searchable, those records enable reconstruction of vehicle travel patterns over time. That capability has civil liberties implications regardless of initial intent.
Infrastructure decisions, once implemented, can be difficult to reverse. Surveillance systems, once funded and installed, are institutionally difficult to remove and rarely contract in scope without sustained public pressure.
Deflock Broward exists to make the underlying records easier to find, verify, and understand—so residents can respond before expansion becomes entrenched.
The project’s objective is removal of automated license plate surveillance infrastructure in Broward County through lawful, informed civic participation grounded in documented evidence.
How this project works
Acquisition
Public records requests are filed to obtain contracts, resolutions, policies, invoices, and related materials concerning ALPR deployment.
Analysis
Records are reviewed for verifiable facts: procurement terms, budget allocations, retention language, access controls, sharing agreements, and governance procedures. Claims are linked to primary documents wherever possible.
Analysis distinguishes between what systems are technically capable of collecting and how officials describe their intended use. Contract language or configuration settings do not alter what sensors capture or what stored data makes possible over time.
Publication
Source documents are published in their original form. Summaries are structured to help readers locate relevant passages and evaluate claims directly.
Civic engagement
When decisions, renewals, or expansions are pending, the project highlights documented facts so residents can participate in public comment and contact officials with specific, cited questions.
Scope and standards
- Focused on Broward County municipalities and law enforcement agencies.
- Grounded in primary source documents and reputable reporting.
- Independent and evidence-driven. Not aligned with any political party.
- Claims are expected to be verifiable and traceable to sources.
Transparency
Deflock Broward prioritizes traceability: readers should be able to follow summaries back to original records. As additional documents are obtained, pages are updated accordingly.
Get involved
If you want to help review records, attend meetings, organize turnout, or support removal efforts in your municipality, email deflockbroward@proton.me.