Nation's Densest Network of License Plate Data-Trackers Raises Privacy Concerns

By Rebecca Boyle Posted 11.22.2011 at 5:11 pm 8 Comments

DC Cruiser rjs1322 via Flickr

In Washington, D.C., where there are plenty of powerful people and precious places to protect, the cops have lots of high-tech tools at their disposal. But one tool, automatic license plate readers, could become much more than a crime-prevention device. D.C. police maintain the country’s densest network of plate readers, and keep a three-year database of license plate locations — meaning they can track where everyone’s car is, all the time, whether at the grocery store, an ammunition shop or Planned Parenthood.

This can be useful in catching criminals, as a Washington Post feature on the subject points out. In a murder case scheduled for trial last year, police used the plate readers to quickly track down the suspect, after a witness wrote down his license plate number. But what about other uses? The database can track the entirety of private citizens’ comings and goings, something that’s not always the government’s business. And what about third parties, who could potentially access the database? A conversation about these possibilities is still sorely lacking, as the Post points out.

The system includes more than 250 cameras in DC and its suburbs, which capture 1,800 images a minute and download them into an archive, the Post reports. It has more than one license plate reader per square mile, as the American Civil Liberties Union points out. The District keeps the images for three years, much longer than most suburbs, which range from two years to a couple months.

“It has now become clear that this technology, if we do not limit its use, will represent a significant step toward the creation of a surveillance society in the United States,” the ACLU said in a statement.

Police are split on how long the images should be archived, and what exactly should be done with them, but they tend to agree that they’re useful for catching criminals and even for preventing crime. As an example, the Post says automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) could be used at a nightclub to identify attendees, so if members of rival gangs happen to drive up, cops can initiate some pre-crime action and send cruisers to the scene before things get ugly.

What the Post article doesn’t address is how this technology could be used alongside other surveillance tech, such as aerial drones or GPS. In Australia, police officials have discussed pairing up speed camera devices, which also recognize license plates, with aerial surveillance networks to track cars of interest. In this country, GPS devices were before the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this month, which heard oral arguments regarding their surreptitious use by police without a warrant.

Database security is another open question. What happens if someone hacks into this archive and uses it to track a person’s private life? There may not be an expectation of privacy while using public streets, but that doesn’t mean someone’s life should be able to be pieced together based on where they drive.

Tom Wilkins, executive director of the D.C. police department’s intelligence fusion division, told the Post the technology was still emergent, and therefore so are the guidelines covering its use. “Even though it’s a tool we’ve had for five years, as it becomes more apparent and widely used and more relied upon, people will begin to scrutinize it,” he said.

Click through to the Washington Post for the full story.

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8 Comments

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AdamWM

11/22/11 at 7:22 pm

I understand the usefulness of this kind of technology. At what point does it become overly intrusive? London is covered with facial recognition cameras. DC tracks cars via license plate. Advanced cameras combined with search logarithms make it possible to track almost every movement or action while in a large city. This is all very 1984. Orwellian in nature. How long before we reach the point of sub dermal gps chips like all the conspiracy believers are waiting for?

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Grunt

11/22/11 at 9:52 pm

I wish to clarify for the USA government. I am a born USA citizen. I am an adult. I am a veteran. I am a patriot.
Leave me the HELL alone and preserve my privacy and individual rights and freedoms.

Now in our country a person is considered innocent, until proven guilty. Again leave me and everyone else the HELL alone!

Can I be clearer or do we need to put these same devices in your own lives, bedrooms and work. You would not want this, so respect the rest of us good citizens and protect our FREEDOM!

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DickySimms

11/23/11 at 12:58 pm

Grunt, we may not agree on the moon landing, but you and I definitely see eye to eye on this one. I've committed no crimes, I've been a life-long citizen (of Canada, I should say. Though the policies of the USA influence our policy in many ways) and I don't deserve to be tracked.

I'm a broadcaster, so say I start saying things the government doesn't agree with. Then they can track my every move, piece it together in a defamatory way and start a smear campaign. I mean, I know it's a leap at this point, but it's a foreseeable option in the future. Keeping people in line, even though they've committed no actual crime.

Basically an "all or nothing" approach shouldn't ever be applied to crime. We shouldn't all have our privacy called into question because a small percentage of us break the law. They're eroding our right to privacy based on a flimsy pretence and no one seems to notice.

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Aldrons Last Hope

11/23/11 at 2:31 pm

@ It really is a brave new world. All this is putting the “sights” in place. When the order is given, marshal law will come down like a sledge hammer.

Also some people may feel comfortable with the police having this info. But they forget this is also public information, a good private investigator with contacts in the PD can source all your info for the right price. Everyone from corporations to private citizens will have access to ALL of our info.

It’s scientifically proven if you want to stop crime, increase education and after school programs as well as employment.

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GeeWillikers

11/23/11 at 3:24 pm

Inch by inch, step by step, so slowly you cannot even feel it and the USA government puts this electronic device way up your buttocks, gently ever so gently our government stick it to us and the devil in the shadows just smiles with a slanted smile as we are get a mark of the beast.

Those good USA citizens failing to have the proper id will be consider illegal aliens and an enemy.

Those with the mark will be given opportunity and protection as defined by our government.

But your personal rights are preserved; the taking of the electronic shaft is completely voluntary and for your benefit........

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RisingPhoenix

11/26/11 at 4:11 pm

I love how everyone, and especially the crackpots, are shaking in their boots at the sound of this. As problems get more advanced, the solutions to the problems must become more advanced.

Is it any wonder that Washington D.C. has this security infrastructure? If any place is prone to having terrorist related activity, then that is Washington, D.C. So yes, it's fantastic that they have the capabilities to trace problems.

Let me ask you this... Would you prefer they had no security capabilities? Surely some of you would be the first to complain that "something should've been done to prevent this." The problem is that people want security and safety, but don't want any information collected about them... As an extension, terrorists and typical criminals may appear no different than us - and perhaps one of the most distinguishing characteristics is the license plate on our vehicles. Everyone seems to think they should be excluded from data collection, yet it's voids like that which can lead to problems.

Call it Big Brother or a police state, but you won't complain when you're made safer by the technology. Nearly everything can be used for "bad", but that doesn't mean it is. I'm sure plenty of you love using Google Earth and looking at satellite images of cities, houses, etc. as well.

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Grunt

11/27/11 at 10:04 am

Eh, somebody wanted to make opposite point of view. That is fine. Sure what would life be without security and police and laws? These things do bring stability to society and fairness.

But it's also has to come with balance and intrusion into you own life. As we allow more laws, so our freedoms become smaller. If we allow police to micromanage our lives, we lose our privacy and freedom too.

It is a balancing act of laws and freedom. It is a good thing we live in a democracy as we impose a law, later we can go back and modify it or remove it or add more laws as necessary.

So as long as the people make the laws and the government, police and military do not become an overly strong force and our power of democracy from the people does not go away.

We should always be on the look out to protect our democracy! Always!

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