Resident demands public hearing on Palm Bay’s license‑plate reader program, cites privacy and oversight gaps

Kristen Lansana, a Northwest Palm Bay resident, told the council she has repeatedly asked since February for clarity about the city’s use of automated license-plate readers and related systems. She asked the council to schedule a public hearing specifically on Palm Bay's ALPR deployment and to review whether recent revelations about federal and private access to ALPR data warrant reconsideration or termination of the city's agreement.

"What was approved as a simple license plate reader in 2021 is now evolving into a system with audio capture, high resolution imaging, and a nationwide data sharing," Lansana said. "No system that can cause that level of harm should be allowed to operate without full public understanding and oversight." She asked for two actions: a public hearing on the city's ALPR use and a formal review of data-access terms.

Council members did not take immediate action on Lansana’s request during this meeting. Staff noted the resident’s outstanding public-records requests and agreed to follow up. No council member disputed the request for more transparency, and the discussion ended with an instruction for staff to gather the records and return with framing for a possible hearing and review.

Next steps: staff to confirm open public-records requests, assemble procurement and policy materials related to the ALPR system, and propose whether a dedicated hearing is warranted.