CBS Austin reported that more Central Texas communities are cutting ties with companies that operate automated license plate readers, also known as ALPRs. The story is built on a briefing by SciLine, a nonprofit that connects journalists with scientists, and it asks three questions: where the cameras go, what they collect and whether they cut crime.
Do license plate readers reduce crime?
The research does not give a clear answer. Johnny Nhan, a criminology professor at Texas Christian University, found mixed results when he looked at solved crimes, crime rates and the spread of Flock cameras. He said he was asked for advice on a study connected to Flock but could not draw a link to crime reduction, because "I don't know how this data is collected by the different police departments."
Nhan also said there is no universal standard for recording whether a Flock camera was used in a case. Some departments check a box, others write it in a narrative report, and he called the process "ad hoc for now."
Where are the cameras, and who can see them?
Steven Keener, an assistant professor of criminology at Christopher Newport University in Virginia, said plate readers are more likely to be placed in communities of color and in areas with a history of overpolicing. He said some departments have released their locations, but "not many."
Keener said the most common reason he hears for not releasing locations is worry about vandalism. He pointed to DeFlock as the best tool available for finding cameras, while warning that accuracy varies by place. In some areas people have worked to verify locations and the data is highly accurate, he said. In others, entries are missing, and people sometimes upload photos of other cameras and label them as plate readers.
For cameras near you, see the camera map. For background on how the systems work, read how plate readers work.
What does a camera hit mean?
Kim Prozowski, an assistant professor of criminal justice at Quinnipiac University, described the systems as cameras paired with software that photographs vehicles as they pass. Some can also record a "vehicle fingerprint," which includes the make and model, the camera's location, the date and time, and the car's color. Depending on settings, they may capture details such as bumper damage or a bumper sticker.
Prozowski said a camera hit should not be treated as proof of criminal involvement on its own. An image alone should not create probable cause unless it is tied to an NCIC case. She also said NCIC updates feed into plate reader systems about twice a day, so officers have to check whether a warrant or entry is still active.
Nhan said police find the technology especially useful for locating stolen vehicles. He also said it can produce false positives, including when a vehicle is listed incorrectly or the alert comes from another state and an officer can dismiss it.
What changes for drivers?
CBS Austin does not name the communities that have cut ties, and it does not say how many cameras will come down.
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has said on the campaign trail that the technology is something to step back from and pause.
- Abbott has also expressed concern after one officer was indicted for 100 felonies connected to abuse on the cameras.
- The research itself does not change which agency runs a camera, so cameras run by a neighboring city, a county, the state or a private business are not covered by these city decisions.
CBS Austin does not give a date for any next step by the communities or the state.