Putnam County Clarifies How Its License Plate Reader System Works

According to a press release from Putnam County Law Enforcement, local officials want residents to know that the county's license plate reader system is not part of the Flock Safety network, and the information collected by the cameras remains under local government control.

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The statement comes after a bunch of national reporting raised concerns about commercial license plate reader networks, including questions about where the information is stored, who has access to it, and how that data can be searched. Putnam County officials say those concerns don't apply to the system being used here.

Putnam County currently has 21 active fixed license plate reader locations. The cameras are designed to photograph license plates, not the people inside the vehicles. Officials say there is no facial recognition, no identification of drivers or passengers, and the cameras aren't being used as speed cameras or to issue tickets.

The county says all of the data is stored on a government-owned server operated by law enforcement through the regional Real Time Crime Center partnership. Officials also say there is no third-party company or data broker involved, the information isn't sold, and it isn't connected to a nationwide commercial database. Historical searches are limited to local law enforcement and require an active criminal investigation.

The system has also generated plenty of alerts. From January 1 through August 11, 2026, the cameras produced 808 investigative alerts involving 250 different vehicles of interest. Those included 184 stolen vehicles, 27 vehicles connected to suspected burglary crews, 22 vehicles associated with organized retail theft rings, and 17 vehicles connected to special alerts involving violent suspects, missing or suicidal people, and domestic violence cases.

Putnam County officials say the technology has helped investigators with everything from homicide and armed robbery cases to burglaries, fraud investigations and missing-person cases. In some situations, officers say the alerts have helped them locate people or suspects before another crime could occur.

Officials emphasize that the system has been in place for more than five years and is intended to serve as an early-warning tool for local police while keeping control of the data in local hands. The Sheriff's Office says residents with questions about the program are encouraged to contact their local police department or the Sheriff's Office.