Police cars now automatically scanning and recording license plates in databases

[tonymctones]

I wrote about this a while back in a thread started by Hugo I believe. This essentially allows them to drive around and a camera scans the plates of cars it sees. The location time etc are then logged into a database painting a picture of day to day movement of individual law abiding citizens.

http://news.yahoo.com/ark-police-photograph-license-plates-store-data-180420324.html

It also allows authorities to monitor where average citizens might be at any particular time. That bothers some residents, as well as groups that oppose public intrusions into individual privacy. The groups are becoming more alarmed about license plate tracking as a growing number of police departments acquire the technology.
 
Though authorities in Washington, D.C., London and Chicago conduct extensive electronic surveillance of public areas to detect security threats or deter gang crime, "Today, increasingly, even towns without stoplights have license plate readers," said Catherine Crump, a New York-based staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union.
 
In Little Rock, even some city officials wonder about keeping data on drivers' movements.
 
"It bothered me particularly if someone wasn't guilty of a crime or didn't have any active warrants or hadn't committed a crime," city director Ken Richardson said.

[Soul Crusher]

Police state.   

[Skip8282]

Creepy.

[24KT]

Papers...

[outby43]

They have had this for a while with the automated emissions testing.  The machines would sit on the side of a road and somehow measure the emissions of passing cars.  Most people don't even know they are being tested.   A few weeks later you would get a notice in the mail if you passed or failed.

[Agnostic007]

Great tool. We used it for recovering stolen vehicles. You could drive through apartment parking lots and readily locate them. Another potential use is on Amber alerts, setting up on major highways. The few we were testing out were spotty in accuracy. At this point we are waiting for future upgraded models. We didn't care about the law abiding citizens whereabouts. 

[Shockwave]

Great tool. We used it for recovering stolen vehicles. You could drive through apartment parking lots and readily locate them. Another potential use is on Amber alerts, setting up on major highways. The few we were testing out were spotty in accuracy. At this point we are waiting for future upgraded models. We didn't care about the law abiding citizens whereabouts. 

You don't see how this could be used for very unconstitutional means?

You don't care about law abiding citizens, but you're still basically mapping out their day to day movements...

[WOOO]

there is no expectation of privacy in public

[dario73]

The government has the willingness to use this technology but they are not willing to close the borders or enforce the immigration laws that are already in the books.  Nice.

[Agnostic007]

You don't see how this could be used for very unconstitutional means?

You don't care about law abiding citizens, but you're still basically mapping out their day to day movements...

I can only speak to how it was used, not how it could be/might be used. I think the general population has an unrealistic perception of how much the average police care what you do. Our use of the plate scanning revolved around recovering stolen vehicles and getting hits on felony warrants. With literally thousands of plates being scanned in over a few hours time, I can't imagine anyone of us caring about any plate but the ones that come up hot. I just don't think the average police department is as diabolical or has the resources to do all the things we are thought to do.    

[chadstallion]

and that's a problem, why?

[24KT]

I can only speak to how it was used, not how it could be/might be used. I think the general population has an unrealistic perception of how much the average police care what you do. Our use of the plate scanning revolved around recovering stolen vehicles and getting hits on felony warrants. With literally thousands of plates being scanned in over a few hours time, I can't imagine anyone of us caring about any plate but the ones that come up hot. I just don't think the average police department is as diabolical or has the resources to do all the things we are thought to do.    

Perhaps not yet, ...but you can see where the application of this technology in the wrong hands,
...and for the wrong reasons can be potentially problematic don't you? Given the increasing psycopathy we are being witness to, do you really trust those who may come behind you?

[Agnostic007]

Perhaps not yet, ...but you can see where the application of this technology in the wrong hands,
...and for the wrong reasons can be potentially problematic don't you? Given the increasing psycopathy we are being witness to, do you really trust those who may come behind you?

I suppose a group of folks said that about fingerprinting, DNA forensics, NCIC, Infra red search capabilities and about any other technology and advancement made over the last 100 yrs..

[tu_holmes]

I suppose a group of folks said that about fingerprinting, DNA forensics, NCIC, Infra red search capabilities and about any other technology and advancement made over the last 100 yrs..

And all of those things HAVE in some way been used for nefarious activities.

[Agnostic007]

And all of those things HAVE in some way been used for nefarious activities.

Then I propose we simply stop any advancement in technology because you believe those things have been used in some nefarious activities. In fact, lets go back to the technology of 1900. 

[OzmO]

Then I propose we simply stop any advancement in technology because you believe those things have been used in some nefarious activities. In fact, lets go back to the technology of 1900. 

if we did that we be stuck only being paraniod about the things we don't hear about.  what would the fear propaganda machine do with itself?

[Skip8282]

I suppose a group of folks said that about fingerprinting, DNA forensics, NCIC, Infra red search capabilities and about any other technology and advancement made over the last 100 yrs..

Those technologies, when properly used, target criminals or people reasonably believed to have committed a crime.

This technology targets everyone.

As this is just an extension of what cops can do on their own one by one, it's probably not unconstitutional...but it's still creepy, especially in the hands of a dishonest cop like you.

[Agnostic007]

Those technologies, when properly used, target criminals or people reasonably believed to have committed a crime.

This technology targets everyone.

As this is just an extension of what cops can do on their own one by one, it's probably not unconstitutional...but it's still creepy, especially in the hands of a dishonest cop like you.

Anyone need an example of someone who is irrational and thinks all cops are dishonest but his brother the cop and a few friends ... look no further 

[Skip8282]

Anyone need an example of someone who is irrational and thinks all cops but his brother and a few friends are "okay"? look no further ..

I never said all cops were like that.  In fact, I've indicated on several occassions that many are decent.

Just because you've been nailed lying mulitple times, doesn't mean other cops are bad.

We'll chalk this up as yet another lie from you.

[24KT]

I suppose a group of folks said that about fingerprinting, DNA forensics, NCIC, Infra red search capabilities and about any other technology and advancement made over the last 100 yrs..

And we've seen them all abused haven't we. One case that stands out for me was the case of a woman convicted on fingerprint evidence. Years later she was released from custody when police officers confessed to having planted her fingerprints at he scene.

That said... you still haven't answered my question. Telling me what others have said over the past 100 years doesn't tell me how YOU feel or what YOU think, ...or has HR 347 got you too scared to speak your mind? 

Can you see where the application of this technology in the wrong hands, ...and for the wrong reasons can be potentially problematic? Given the increasing psycopathy we are being witness to, do you really trust those who may come behind you?

[Agnostic007]

I never said all cops were like that.  In fact, I've indicated on several occassions that many are decent.

Just because you've been nailed lying mulitple times, doesn't mean other cops are bad.

We'll chalk this up as yet another lie from you.

Surprised you can see the monitor being as full of Sh*t as you are Skip 

[Agnostic007]

And we've seen them all abused haven't we. One case that stands out for me was the case of a woman convicted on fingerprint evidence. Years later she was released from custody when police officers confessed to having planted her fingerprints at he scene.

That said... you still haven't answered my question. Telling me what others have said over the past 100 years doesn't tell me how YOU feel or what YOU think, ...or has HR 347 got you too scared to speak your mind? 

Can you see where the application of this technology in the wrong hands, ...and for the wrong reasons can be potentially problematic? Given the increasing psycopathy we are being witness to, do you really trust those who may come behind you?

I thought I answered it. I think technology and advances in forensics is overwhelmingly a good thing. I would not fail to advance because of a few isolated instances of abuse in almost any area. And yes, I have no reason at this point to think the person who just got hired doesn't have the same good intentions to help people that I did 30 yrs ago. I actually see my profession becoming even more professional as time goes by. There will always be a small minority that will abuse anything.. I don't see that as a reason to throw in the towel

[tu_holmes]

Then I propose we simply stop any advancement in technology because you believe those things have been used in some nefarious activities. In fact, lets go back to the technology of 1900. 

How about we simply stop using the technology for fascism?

[Agnostic007]

How about we simply stop using the technology for fascism?

is it being used for that?

[tu_holmes]

is it being used for that?

Yes... Yes it is.