Utah News Dispatch reported, in a story by Annie Knox that Kiowa County Press republished, that the nonprofit Utah Civic Compact wants the Utah Department of Transportation to cut its contract with Flock Group Inc. The group opposes automated license plate readers, and it says ending the contract would sharply limit the number of those cameras. It made the request at a news conference on Friday.
How could UDOT end the contract?
The group read the agency's contract line by line and found a clause that lets it end the agreement if it "determines that the public does not support the Company's activities." The contract is centered on installations, according to a copy provided to Utah News Dispatch.
Group members said an immediate move by UDOT would be faster than a law from the Legislature. They are also lobbying state lawmakers for tighter limits on license plate data.
Why does the group say the public opposes the cameras?
Utah Civic Compact members point to public outcry over privacy and to cases in which cameras were vandalized or cut down. Clark Dice, a spokesperson for the group, said Utahns "do not trust this new technology."
Gov. Spencer Cox said in August that Americans "should be deeply concerned" about police searching the data for personal reasons. He directed the Utah Privacy Governing Board and the Utah Privacy Commission to review state rules on the cameras.
What does UDOT control?
UDOT attorneys were reviewing the contract on Friday, spokesperson John Gleason said. The department is focused on confirming that cameras along state roads have the proper permits, and it is still counting them.
Gleason said UDOT handles equipment, highway safety and paperwork. It cannot access the data the cameras collect, and it does not decide where cameras go, how many there are or how they operate. UDOT is required by law to permit cameras designated for official police use. Gleason said he did not know under what circumstances the department could pull one.
What does current Utah law allow?
Under existing state law, cameras can be used only for an active criminal investigation, to arrest someone with an outstanding warrant, to find a missing or endangered person, or to track down a stolen car. Using or sharing the data for another reason is a misdemeanor. The Utah Civic Compact says the law has a gap because there is no way to make sure out-of-state agencies follow Utah's requirements.
What changes for drivers?
Nothing has changed yet. UDOT has not decided whether to end the contract, and Utah News Dispatch does not give a date for a decision. UDOT grants the permits for cameras along state highways. Cameras run by cities, counties or other agencies on local roads are not part of this request.
The Utah Privacy Governing Board and the Utah Privacy Commission are reviewing state rules, but Utah News Dispatch does not give a date for their findings. To see where cameras are, check the camera map. For how the systems work, read how plate readers work.