 We’ve covered automated license plate reader (ALPR) software nearly 20 times in the last few years. That we are doing so again is a reminder that this invasive technology continues to proliferate. In the latest twist, an affluent LA community bought its own license-plate readers, gifted them to the Police Foundation; and, with approval from the City Council and the Police Commission, handed them to the LAPD. There was a proviso – that they only be used in said well-off LA community. Turns out the LAPD didn’t appreciate being told where to use ALPR tech and which brand to use. The head of the department’s Information Technology Bureau told the media that law enforcement agencies should be able to use plate reader technology as they see fit and should own and control the data collected. This seems more about turf than principle, given that the LAPD already has thousands of plate-reading cameras in use. This case brings a new question to an already intense debate. Should the well-connected be able to contract with local police to indiscriminately spy on masses of drivers, looking for those “who aren’t from around here”? It is concerning enough the LAPD has already built up one of the nation’s largest ALPR networks. This is an example of how for-profit startups like Flock Safety are trying to corner the market for this technology nationwide and doing so through opaque agreements with law enforcement agencies that are impermeable to public scrutiny and oversight. As with most surveillance tech, there are cases that justify their use. But these legitimate instances tend to be relatively few in number and should be executed with transparency in mind and oversight engaged. That’s a far cry from the “dragnet surveillance” approach currently in place, where the movements of millions of citizens who have done nothing wrong are tracked and stored in public and private databases for years at a time, all without a warrant or individual consent. Comments are closed.
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