Image Credit: Flock Safety ALPR Camera / Tony Webster / CC
Tennessee Conservative News [By Olivia Lupia] –
The use of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) is causing debate at the state and national levels over privacy rights and potential abuse as many municipalities are expanding their surveillance programs, prompting some citizens to resort to illegal actions in expressing their strong protest.
ALPRs, AI-driven surveillance cameras most commonly known under the brand name Flock, capture and analyze images of passing vehicles, collecting and storing details including the make, model, color, and identifying features like dents, roof racks, or bumper stickers. Along with those specifies, location, date, and time are also noted then turned into searchable data points stored in a database accessible to the law enforcement agency contracted with the camera companies.
DeFlock, an anti-LPR advocacy organization, tracks these cameras across the country, recording over 123,000 cameras in the U.S. so far, with several thousand logged in Tennessee according to their interactive map. The map is an open-source, volunteer-powered project with camera locations coming from those volunteers, not private companies or government agencies.
The organization says the cameras collect data on millions of vehicles “regardless of whether the driver is suspected of a crime” which creates a “loophole that doesn’t require a warrant” and creates a risk of misuse. National reports appear to somewhat corroborate DeFlock’s statements as police officers in at least 12 states have faced allegations of misusing Flock Safety LPR systems, including improperly accessing data for personal purposes like tracking romantic partners, relatives, or acquaintances.
DeFlock also contends there is “no substantial evidence that ALPRs effectively prevent crime, despite Flock’s unethical attempts to prove otherwise,” though many law enforcement departments in Tennessee have said the cameras serve as a valuable tool that has revolutionized policing.
“LPRs have been one of the most impactful investigative tools in policing that’s been developed in the last decade or more,” said Knoxville Police Department (KPD) Public Information Officer Scott Erland. “As we’re investigating a crime, we can go into the LPR system and search our data to see if there’s any leads we can generate from that. Any additional information that detectives might be able to act on, or officers might be able to act on.”
KPD currently has 10 LPRs but will have 27 once work is complete on KPD’s Real Time Information Center, which “utilizes a network of public and privately owned cameras” to “support officers in the field responding to calls for service and detectives conducting criminal investigations.” The Knox County Sheriff’s Office is looking to build around 270, ten times the number in the city.
In the Chattanooga area, Collegedale Police confirmed it has used Flock cameras for several years, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office operates nine cameras, and Fort Oglethorpe Police, just across the Georgia border, currently uses six Flock cameras with plans to add two more. Red Bank Police also has three LPR cameras but uses a different system from Motorola solutions.
In response to safety and privacy concerns, Officer Erland said there are policies in place to identify “rogue actors” and ensure that officers making an inquiry of the system “have to include a report number as well as a written description of the reason they’re even conducting the search to begin with. These systems have really strong auditing tools. We feel strongly we need to be good stewards of that technology. We need to have strong policies. We need to be transparent with the community and about how we’re using it.”
He also stated that all data collected by the cameras, which is controlled by KPD, is deleted after 30 days, which echoed comments from other Tennessee law enforcement departments.
But despite these assurances, Flock cameras have drawn scrutiny from several Tennessee local officials, including Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs and several County Commissioners. In a joint statement, Jacobs and Commissioner Adam Thompson said that despite the commission and sheriff’s office approving a state grant for the devices in November, they have growing apprehensions about the devices given the rise of new privacy and data retention concerns.
“We certainly don’t distrust the sheriff’s office at all,” said Thompson. “What we are uncertain of is the technology. Cameras are meant for security purposes. And so, when you have cameras popping up on rural roads, back roads, then you start asking why here? Because if it’s meant to fight crime and to deter crime and catch the bad guys who are trying to flee the county, they’re not usually doing it on a one-lane road.”
The Republican gubernatorial candidates have taken varying stances on the issue. Rep. Monty Fritts has taken a firm stance against Flock cameras, agreeing they are unconstitutional while Congressman John Rose seems to hold a more moderate position, saying, “we know that these tools are very often misused, but they are useful and they can help prevent crime.” Sen. Marsha Blackburn expressly voiced her support for Flock cameras and other automated surveillance systems, calling them “a commonsense measure to protect our families.”
On the national stage, Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett has also been outspoken against the use of Flock and similar surveillance systems, saying they violate the Fourth Amendment. He has introduced the Protection Against Mass Surveillance Act which would eliminate federal funding for Flock cameras.
However, some citizens don’t appear to be content with waiting for the government to decide what to do about the surveillance systems, taking matters into their own hands as the cameras become more prevalent nationwide, appearing in parking lots at Home Depot and Lowe’s, hidden inside speed readers, and even attached to garbage trucks.
In Tennessee, a U.S. Congressional candidate was arrested last Friday in Blount County, charged for shooting at multiple ALPRs between July 14 and July 22. Adam Lee Heimerman, an Independent in the U.S. House District Two race, was served warrants for four counts of felony vandalism and reportedly admitted he “used a gun” to shoot four ALPR systems in Blount County and Maryville.
Officials said Heimerman is being held in the Blount County Correctional Facility on a $40,000 bond and is scheduled for a hearing on August 5.
While extreme, Heimerman’s actions, alongside other less dramatic forms of protest from other citizens around the nation, demonstrate the importance local communities are placing on the surveillance conversation and indicating continued pushback if concerns are not appropriately addressed by local, state, and federal leaders.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
Yup, Big Brother’s watching you, keeping you “safe”.