Massachusetts State Police Must Disclose ALPR Locations and Data
A recent court ruling in Massachusetts mandates that the State Police must reveal where their automatic license plate readers are located and provide audit logs of their use.
A Suffolk Superior Court judge has ruled that the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) must disclose information regarding its use of automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras. This decision means the MSP cannot continue to withhold basic details about its surveillance of drivers across the state. The ruling, reported by Franklin Observer, stems from a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Massachusetts.
For drivers, this ruling is significant. It means more transparency about where and how your license plate data is being collected and accessed by state authorities. Understanding the locations of these cameras is a key step for drivers who want to be aware of their privacy on the road. You can always check our /map to see known camera locations.
What information will be disclosed?
The court's decision requires the Massachusetts State Police to release two main types of information:
- Camera Locations: The specific places where the MSP's ALPR cameras are installed.
- Audit Logs: Records showing when, why, and how often MSP officers search the ALPR database. These logs will have license plate numbers redacted.
This ruling comes after more than five years of requests from the ACLU of Massachusetts for these records. The MSP had previously cited exemptions related to critical infrastructure and ongoing criminal investigations to avoid disclosure.
Why did the court rule this way?
Massachusetts courts have previously acknowledged the potential privacy implications of widespread ALPR use. In 2020, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court noted that "with enough cameras in enough locations," ALPR surveillance could raise constitutional concerns.
The ACLU of Massachusetts filed a public records lawsuit in November 2023 after repeated refusals from the MSP to provide information. The recent ruling found that the MSP failed to adequately justify withholding the camera locations or the redacted audit logs.
Kade Crockford, director of technology and justice programs at the ACLU of Massachusetts, noted that "the public has a right to know basic details about where and how police are tracking motorists around the state." This ruling is seen as a step towards greater accountability and oversight of police surveillance technology.
This increased transparency could influence how ALPR technology is used and overseen in Massachusetts. Drivers concerned about privacy should stay informed about these developments. For more background on how ALPRs work and their implications, visit our /learn section.