Police departments nationwide are intentionally concealing their reliance on surveillance technologies, including Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs), from both the public and legal proceedings. This practice aims to bypass scrutiny and negative public opinion, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation reported.
This trend means drivers might not know when or how their movements are being tracked, even as questions around privacy and civil liberties grow. It also makes it harder for the public to hold agencies accountable for how they spend taxpayer money on these systems.
Why are police hiding ALPR use?
Law enforcement agencies are facing increased public concern regarding surveillance tools. This concern stems from issues like potential civil rights violations and reports of misuse, such as officers allegedly using ALPRs to track ex-partners. By keeping ALPR usage quiet, departments can avoid public pushback and maintain operations without interruption.
Specific instructions have been issued to officers:
- Iowa County: Police policies instruct officers, "DO NOT MENTION ALPR USAGE TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE," and to avoid mentioning it in reports "UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY." Instead, officers are told to refer to "county resources."
- Houston: Police are advised to "be as vague as permissible" about using Flock Safety's system. This is intended to prevent details from becoming public through records requests.
This concealment tactic is not new. It mirrors past efforts to hide the use of other surveillance tools, such as AT&T's Hemisphere phone surveillance tool and cell-site simulators (stingrays). In those cases, police used methods like "parallel construction" to create alternate evidence trails or dropped cases to avoid disclosing the technology's use.
What does this mean for drivers?
For drivers, this means that the presence of ALPRs, which capture vehicle location data, might be more widespread and less transparent than official statements suggest. Your license plate data could be collected and stored without your knowledge, making it difficult to understand the full scope of surveillance on public roads. Knowing where these cameras are located is important for understanding your privacy.
Some communities have reacted to ALPR concerns by:
- Covering up existing cameras.
- Canceling contracts with ALPR vendors.
- States like Texas and Florida have scaled back their use of ALPRs.
These actions indicate a growing public demand for transparency and oversight in surveillance technology. You can learn more about how ALPRs work and their impact on privacy at our /learn section.
FlockDetour aims to provide drivers with information about where these cameras are located. This information helps drivers understand their surroundings and make informed decisions. We encourage community members to contribute to our mapping efforts to help keep everyone informed. You can find out how to help at /contribute.
This ongoing practice of concealment highlights a challenge for public accountability. The next step for communities will be to demand greater transparency from their local law enforcement agencies regarding all surveillance technology contracts and usage policies.