9.2.26 Sheriff Gualtieri Discusses Automated License Plate Recognition

On September 2, 2026, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri held a press conference to address concerns regarding Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR). Sheriff Gualtieri stated the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office has utilized ALPRs since 2006. Law enforcement uses ALPR data to recover missing and endangered children, rescue human trafficking and kidnapping victims, identify vehicles connected to violent crimes, apprehend dangerous suspects and fugitives, recover stolen vehicles, and arrest drug traffickers. Sheriff explained that we recognize the concerns raised about ALPR, are committed to ensuring the technology is used responsibly, and that ALPR is properly understood. Sheriff Gualtieri stated, ‘We live in a technological age which means we cannot fight crime in the stone age. As we cannot defund the police, we also cannot de-tool the police either. Taking away the tools that lead to effective crime reduction will inherently lead to crime increasing and the only winners, if that happens, are the criminals.”