NAPLES TO ADD 54 MORE LICENSE-PLATE READER CAMERAS, BECAUSE ONE CAN NEVER BE TOO AWARE (OR OBSERVED) 👁️📸

NAPLES, Fla. — In a bold, visionary, and deeply Naples move, city leaders have decided that 100+ license-plate reader cameras simply do not scream luxury vigilance loudly enough. So naturally, Naples will be adding 54 more. Because if you’re going to monitor vehicles, you might as well do it tastefully — and at scale. ✨🚘

On a unanimous vote (shocking absolutely no one), City Council approved a $1.6 million expansion of its automated license-plate recognition empire, courtesy of Motorola Solutions Inc. The deal includes installation, licensing, extended warranties, and enough service support to last longer than most Florida HOAs. 🏖️📑

🎩 A Curated Surveillance Experience

These aren’t just cameras. They’re Vigilant LPR cameras — the Hermès scarves of law enforcement technology. According to Police Chief Ciro Dominguez, they’re widely used nationwide, ensuring Naples enjoys the rare privilege of seamlessly sharing investigative data like a well-networked country club. 🤝📊

The purchase was made through a piggyback contract with Collier County — because nothing says fiscal responsibility like hopping onto someone else’s deal and upgrading it to Naples standards. 🐖📈

💎 Philanthropy, But Make It Observational

In a heartwarming display of civic generosity, The Moorings Property Owners Association donated $100,000 to help fund cameras guarding two entry points to its island enclave — a 1,300-acre paradise with roughly 4,000 homes and, apparently, zero interest in being surprised. 🏡🔒

Not to be outdone, Royal Harbor installed its own cameras, proving once again that in Naples, security is a competitive sport. 🥇👀

🤖 Algorithms With Manners

Naples, spanning a dainty 16.4 square miles, has been quietly monitoring vehicle comings and goings since 2015. The cameras use computer algorithms to transform license plates into tidy, computer-readable data — like turning traffic into spreadsheets, but chic. 🧮🚦

And fear not: state law forbids these cameras from issuing traffic tickets. They’re simply checking plates against databases for warrants and alerts, screening thousands of vehicles efficiently, politely, and without judgment. (Officially.) 😇📋

Data is retained for up to three years, after which it is destroyed — presumably with great ceremony. 🗑️✨

🤫 The Camera Count Is… Classified

Police declined to reveal the total number of cameras citywide, citing a security exemption under state law. Translation: There are enough, and you don’t need to know how many.

For comparison, Marco Island has three cameras on its bridges, while the Collier County Sheriff’s Office operates at least 127 countywide — because moderation is for other counties. 🌉📡

🏁 The Bottom Line

Naples isn’t just adding cameras. It’s perfecting an aesthetic of awareness, a curated blend of luxury, law enforcement, and polite omnipresence.

So drive safely, smile naturally, and remember: in Naples, you’re not being watched — you’re being professionally observed. 😌👁️