ACLU Calls for More Transparency, Legislation on License Plate Readers
Automatic license plate readers, mounted on police cars or on objects such as road signs and bridges, use small, high-speed cameras to photograph thousands of plates every minute. The data captured by these readers (plate numbers, time stamps, locations) is collected and sometimes pooled into regional sharing systems. This information is often retained for years or even indefinitely, the ACLU reports, with few or no restrictions to protect privacy rights.
In July 2012, ACLU affiliates in 38 states and Washington DC sent public records act requests to almost 600 local and state police departments, as well as other state and federal agencies, to obtain information on how they use license plate readers. In response, 26,000 documents were sent back detailing the use of the technology around the country.