Written by Charles Broadway
Imagine a Kissimmee parent who believed her bright 13-year-old daughter had been safely dropped off at school, only to learn that she never arrived that day.
On February 26, 2024, Madeline Soto was reported missing. The mother’s boyfriend, Stephen Stearns, claimed he dropped her off near Hunters Creek Middle School around 8:40 a.m. This was a story that might not have been possible without the right tools. But thanks to license plate reader (LPR) technology, investigators soon uncovered the truth.
LPR data showed Stearns’ vehicle was miles away from the school at the exact time he said he was there. Combined with surveillance camera footage, they painted a chilling timeline of his movements that morning, from the family’s apartment complex to the area near St. Cloud where Madeline’s body was later discovered. Its objective vehicle data played a vital role in uncovering the suspect’s alibi, advancing the investigation, and securing a conviction in one of Central Florida’s most heartbreaking cases.
Every day, Florida law enforcement officers face immense pressure to do more with less, respond quickly, and protect our vast mobile community from criminals who exploit speed and anonymity. License plate readers have proven to be a force multiplier in that fight, especially when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable.
These systems don’t track people. It does not include racial, ethnic or personal details. They simply read license plates and vehicle characteristics that everyone on the road already sees. When that data matches an active alert, whether it’s a missing child, a stolen vehicle, or a suspect on the run, officers are instantly notified. In Madeline’s case, that speed and accuracy were game-changers.
Government agencies across Florida credit LPR technology with helping locate missing persons, recover stolen vehicles, disrupt human trafficking networks, and solve violent crimes. This allows departments to work together seamlessly across city and county boundaries, turning fragmented leads into actionable intelligence. For traffickers and criminals who rely on quick getaways along the state’s busy roads, LPR takes away that advantage.
Importantly, these tools facilitate smarter policing. Police officers act on verified information, rather than casting a wide net. This efficiency not only saves limited resources but also builds community trust by minimizing unnecessary interactions.
Florida police chiefs and law enforcement leaders take privacy and liability seriously. Strict policies govern data access, retention, training, and monitoring. Abuse will not be tolerated and these programs will be operated transparently and with full respect for constitutional protections. Courts across the country have upheld its legal application when combined with such safeguards.
Public safety requires us to evolve with the threats we face. Criminals never stop, and neither do the tools we use to stop them. In Madeline Soto’s case, the license plate reader not only supported the investigation; They helped establish undeniable facts that helped justice be served. Parents are reunited with their children, victims are rescued from danger, dangerous people are removed from the streets, and these are the consequences of human reality.
As law enforcement professionals dedicated to protecting Florida families, we believe it is essential to use technology like LPR responsibly. This honors our core mission of protecting lives with integrity, speed and accuracy. This is a goal that all communities should come together to achieve.
Charles “Chuck” Broadway is a past president of the Florida Association of Chiefs of Police and currently serves as Chief of the Kissimmee Police Department. Prior to his role in Kissimmee, he served as Chief of Police in Clermont, Florida (2012-2025). Chuck began his career as a patrolman in the New York City Police Department and then as a detective. He responded to Ground Zero after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Chief Broadway moved to Florida and worked for Gainesville PD and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
