Ocean Springs takes legal action over license plate readers

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. (WXXV) — The City of Ocean Springs is looking to turn more than $460,000 over to the courts, relinquishing any claim to the funds they collected from uninsured drivers through a controversial license plate reader program.

This comes after a federal lawsuit was filed by drivers, claiming they were improperly ticketed by the Georgia-based company Securix, LLC.

Ocean Springs entered into contract with Securix in 2021, hoping to encourage uninsured drivers to obtain car insurance. According to the city, the program did not function as they intended it to, leading to the termination of their contract in May of 2023.

“After the program launched, it didn’t work out the way the board thought it was going to work out. There were several complaints, several people getting tickets that had insurance,” said Ocean Springs Mayor Bobby Cox. “It just did not meet what we thought it would be, so we got out of the program after that. We gave it a trial run. It just didn’t work out.”

After a federal class action lawsuit was filed by drivers claiming they were issued improper tickets from the company, the city’s board of aldermen voted to relinquish the fines and fees collected through the program – totaling $468,681.

With the funds soon to be under the court’s control, the city is absolving itself of potential financial liability and ensuring the funds are handled fairly and lawfully through the court system.

“We just want to do what’s best for the citizens of Ocean Springs… and the residents,” said Mayor Cox. “What we’re doing by interpleading the funds is to release liability on the city in the case. That’s what we’re asking.”

The court will determine how the funds will be distributed through the ongoing legal proceedings. Mayor Bobby Cox also says the city plans to keep residents informed as the process unfolds.