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Hardee County
Vendor program advertised. 2 records requests filed.What third-party research already names
Vendors documented as operating here
Some of these vendors are recorded as operating in Hardee County by the EFF Atlas of Surveillance, a public research project run by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the University of Nevada, Reno. That is third-party research: it tells you what to ask about, not what has been confirmed. Others were confirmed by the agency itself, in its own documents or in writing, in response to a Chapter 119 request. The right-hand column says which is which for every row.
| Vendor | Since | What it does | How it came to light |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axon | Body-worn Cameras | EFF Atlas of Surveillance (third-party research) - not yet confirmed by a records production | |
| Idemia | Face Recognition | EFF Atlas of Surveillance (third-party research) - not yet confirmed by a records production | |
| Automated license plate readers and drones | Confirmed in writing. Procurement records held by the City of Wauchula rather than the Department. | Confirmed in writing by the agency, August 2026 |
What we obtained ourselves
What the agencies told us
Every line below came from a Chapter 119 public records request we filed with that agency. It is the agency’s own document or its own written answer, not research by anyone else.
| Body | Type | Role | What they said |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wauchula Police Department | Municipal police | Operates ALPR and unmanned aircraft | "the Wauchula Police Department utilizes the following: Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR); Unmanned Aircraft/Drone Technology." |
Axon Community Connect
Axon lists 0 Community Connect program(s) in Hardee County. Community Connect is a voluntary program that lets residents and businesses register or integrate private security cameras with local law enforcement. Registering means police know the camera exists and can request footage. Integrating means the feed goes to them directly.
| Program | Place | Registered cameras | Integrated cameras |
|---|
This is a starting point, not a finding.
2 public records requests have been filed with agencies in this county under Chapter 119, beginning August 25, 2026, asking what surveillance technology they operate, what it costs, how long data is kept, and who else can search it. 2 still awaiting a substantive response.
Being named in the Atlas is not evidence of wrongdoing. It is evidence that the technology exists here and that the public record has not yet caught up with it. What each agency actually operates, what it costs, how long data is kept, and who else can search it are the questions the requests below were sent to answer.
The record so far
What has been asked, and when
A Chapter 119 request for surveillance technology records was submitted to Hardee County Board of County Commissioners by email. Section 119.07(1)(c) requires a prompt, good-faith response.
A Chapter 119 request for surveillance technology records was submitted to Hardee County Sheriff's Office by email. Section 119.07(1)(c) requires a prompt, good-faith response.
After confirming in writing that it operates automated license plate readers and drone technology, Wauchula PD demanded a $117.57 deposit for the underlying procurement records.
Section 119.07(1)(c), Florida Statutes, requires a prompt, good-faith response to each of these. Silence is itself part of the record.
Ask these two
Who to send it to
The public records request that forced Sumter County's agencies to answer is ready to copy. Use it here, and name the vendors listed above.
Get the letter →County seat Wauchula. Last checked 2026-08-25.