Police chiefs from five North Texas cities say the answer to concerns about automated license plate readers is tighter rules and criminal penalties for misuse, not getting rid of the cameras, NBC 5 reported Wednesday.
The chiefs of Dallas, Fort Worth, Irving, Allen and Grand Prairie sat down with NBC 5 justice reporter Shannon Miller for an extended discussion of the technology, which captures information about vehicles that pass the cameras. Police say the readers help them find stolen cars, missing people and suspects, at times within minutes and across city limits.
The cameras have also drawn growing scrutiny over privacy, who can get at the data and the potential for abuse.
"Those two aren't mutually exclusive, right? We can find middle ground," Grand Prairie Chief Daniel Scesney said. He added that he would support "a stand-alone law that would give a criminal penalty for misusing this technology."
Fort Worth Chief Eddie García acknowledged that the systems have been abused. "We've seen cases in the state of Texas; we've seen cases nationally of police officers not using this information appropriately," he said.
Several of the chiefs said they favor consistent department policies and statewide standards. They also discussed what camera companies, Flock Safety among them, should do to block unauthorized use, and said residents need a clearer picture of the limits departments already follow, according to NBC 5.
