Growing network of police license plate scanners now track your vehicle everywhere you go.

Police networks across the country are building a massive data bases of license plate scans that track our every move.

Sure, I can see the advantage when it comes to tracking down missing children and stalker, but what about when the police become the stalkers?

www.startribune.com...

A rapidly growing network of police cameras is capturing, storing and sharing data on license plates, making it possible to stitch together people's movements whether they are stuck in a commute, making tracks to the beach or up to no good.
...
Departments keep the records for weeks or years, sometimes indefinitely, saying they can be crucial in tracking suspicious cars, aiding drug busts, finding abducted children and more.

Attached to police cars, bridges or buildings — and sometimes merely as an app on a police officer's smartphone — scanners capture images of passing or parked vehicles and pinpoint their locations, uploading that information into police databases.
...
While the Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that a judge's approval is needed to use GPS to track a car, networks of plate scanners allow police effectively to track a driver's location, sometimes several times every day, with few legal restrictions. The ACLU says the scanners are assembling a "single, high-resolution image of our lives."
...
As the technology becomes cheaper and more widespread, even small police agencies are able to deploy more sophisticated surveillance systems. The federal government has been a willing partner, offering grants to help equip departments, in part as a tool against terrorism.

But the police don't always do the right thing, and especially in some of these small towns where the polic department can use the data however they want, including stalking local residents.

This is a system that sounds very ripe for abuse.

In addition, what happens when hackers, or any agency with an agenda, succeeds in breaking into these data vaults, and use the information to commit crimes or take people out, or any of the other advantages of being able to track peoples daily lives.

reply to post by poet1b


They already have a database on all registration plates.

That's why they're called registration plates.

They could have abused the system long before this tracking technology existed.

Here in the UK we have ANPR camera's on most major roads along with ANPR sets in Police cars - we've had them for at least 10 years and nope, still no Police state...

Not sure I understand the fear - as pointed out, they already know your reg plate so it is hardly telling them something they couldn't find out already. If anything, here in the UK at least, ANPR has been instrumental in solving many crimes - one of the major focuses of the Police here is catching cars that are uninsured (which usually means the driver is also not licensed and is dangerous) and also tracking vehicles known to be used in crimes such as drugs, guns and robberies.

reply to post by poet1b


The funny thing is, its that these tools aren't actually used to prevent criminal activity, (which might be nice) but is used to aid a prosecution. I'm not sure I've ever heard a press release stating that if LE had only used the technology at their disposal, they could've avoided a major tragedy. I've heard the onus put on the public though. Hypocritical if you ask me.

Reminds me of a Simpsons episode where Chief Wiggum says "Oh, we're not here to help you, we're here to punish you." Or something to that effect.

It's more likely that the RFID gets put on your tags or license plate than in your forehead or body or wherever they put those things.

I seriously doubt they do anything worthwhile with the information other than profile and gain dirt on a person. But, if an ordinary cop has access to this kind of intel, who else does? Invasion of privacy by virtue of just good, solid police work. They're either getting better at bs'ing us, or the general population has given away some of its general common sense.

reply to post by AlphaHawk

They already have a database on all registration plates.

That's why they're called registration plates.

They could have abused the system long before this tracking technology existed.

But now they can track where your were at what time of day and store it... very different.

As they can by your mobile phone or by cctv camera.It's a horrible thought but as has been mentioned already we've had this in the UK for a decade or so.

You still have to pop up on the radar for them to want to track your movements but it does give them greater ability when you do.

Like I said thou,if they want to pinpoint you it'll be by your phone more likely than by number plate recognition !!

Originally posted by dfens
The funny thing is, its that these tools aren't actually used to prevent criminal activity

Maybe not in the US, but here in the UK they are. Quite often, when an ANPR picks up a car that is flagged for either no insurance, MOT or Tax, it turns out the occupant is usually involved in some other criminal activity and it aids the Police in disrupting their operations. The good thing about the ANPR is that the Police have become rather reliant on it, so you're less likely to be stopped by them if your details (such as insurance, tax or MOT) are in order and your driving is fine, whereas before, they'd stop cars with minor defects in the hope of catching something bigger.

reply to post by AlphaHawk


Yeah and I have a driver's license and SSN. That doesn't mean it's possible to track everywhere I've been, yet.

At this point we've all seen how easily data can be obtained from 'secure' systems. I don't have anything to hide, but that doesn't mean I want people that I don't know or trust to be able to access my daily habits. Considering I have nothing to hide, and there is no proof that I do, why on Earth does Law Enforcement deem it necessary? Leave me alone.

I realize we have no laws respecting our privacy, but there really should be some on the books, especially in todays world.

I'm not self important enough to think that I'm being actively monitored for anything (SO many people here need to really reevaluate how important they are), but if I am, I want to send my condolences to the poor person tracking my movements. I would rather not have those movements tracked, even if they are only reviewed if I'm suspected of a crime.

Log Entry 8.900.001.006 Domo is still boring as *bleep*. He stubbed his toe and instead of a normal expletive screamed ATS.

Guess my biggest question is what can we do about it? And don't say vote, or start a White House petition, or lobby the politicians. It doesn't work. Didn't work on the Patriot Act, NSA saga, etc. and the courts usually take the police side. Seems like the options are limited.

Peace

Originally posted by jam321
Guess my biggest question is what can we do about it?

There is a very simple solution, stop driving and start taking public transport or walking, or a pushbike if you are that worried by it.

reply to post by stumason


They are building these systems from police scanners. It is quite different from stationary cameras logging when you drive by an intersection. They have bad that here in the states for a while now as well.

With the police scanners, they can pace you at home, the store, movie theatre, any where you go.

And from what I read on the couple of articles I have read on the subject, these data bases are easily available.

This really is a whole new level of tracking your every move.

reply to post by Zarniwoop


True I suppose, but if they want to follow you, this is but a small tool in their arsenal, since they would have to count on you driving in your car and then being spotted by a cruiser.

There's quite a bit left to chance there.

And how about a positive to it?

It may just help exonerate an innocent person from being convicted of a crime.

They can access their database and see who was where and when.

reply to post by stumason


OK, you're probably right as far as UK goes. I take your word for it.

What I can tell you, is that about 13 years ago I was busted by a similar technique. I had bought a used car and signed and mailed off all my papers and was clearly legal to drive. The problem was that my car was profiled because I bought it from a person who lived in a city known for drug trafficking. Of course, I was unlucky, and the police officer was profiling a certain offender who was involved in shady deals. My girlfriend wasn't home, she locked the door, and my keys were inside the apartment. I had to basically sleep in my car. Plus, I had a bottle of booze to ease my sleep.

Bottom line... I was profiled. I had my plates ran. I had brand new plates sent to me and installed, yet I was still profiled as a drug dealer from another town. Cop had the nerve to confiscate my three fingers of a pint,(on private property, mind you) take my cigarettes, my lighter, my license, empty baggie, nunchuks, karate gi, helmet, elbow and knee pads. The good news is that they were able to sell my property at auction for $750, including the vehicle. All because I sat on private property, got drunk enough to sleep in my car, didn't hurt anyone, and a guy who could have efficiently used his time to actually help the public, instead, used his acumen to eff people over.

Young fresh people may actually be idealists. Show me a seasoned vet who believes that crap.

If we allow LE to get more control... What's the point of leaving the house?

Another thing, in this day of photoshop or random setups, what makes you think you couldn't be busted as well?

reply to post by poet1b


If you read my first reply again, I said they have ANPR in every police car here in the UK and have done so for quite some time. If anything, it has helped the Police narrow the net, rather than casting it wider and no matter what some might have you believe, we don't have a Police state here and the only reason you'll get pulled over by a copper with ANPR is because you have broken the law (no insurance, tax, MOT or license)

Originally posted by AlphaHawk
reply to post by poet1b

 

They already have a database on all registration plates.

That's why they're called registration plates.

They could have abused the system long before this tracking technology existed.

Difference is they can now attribute multiple data points to that database and build a working model of every car that flows within their purview.

Having a database on registered cars is one thing (though I disagree with on principle levels); using cameras to identify and save that data, from various points in a city to create much more than a database but rather a typical day in the life of John and Jane Doe American is beyond the scope of the city police and government.

Originally posted by dfens
The good news is that they were able to sell my property at auction for $750, including the vehicle. All because I sat on private property, got drunk enough to sleep in my car, didn't hurt anyone, and a guy who could have efficiently used his time to actually help the public, instead, used his acumen to eff people over.

Hmm, being drunk while in charge of a motor vehicle, at least in the UK, even if you're not actively driving it is still an offence. The only way to avoid that is to put the keys in the tailpipe so it can be deomnstrated you didn't plan to drive it.

Originally posted by dfens
Another thing, in this day of photoshop or random setups, what makes you think you couldn't be busted as well?

Photoshop? How's that going to get me in trouble? I don't know much about the US Justice system, but if the rozzers tried that nonsense here, they'd not be able to get it past the courts. All the ANPR does is flag a vehicle as either not being properly documented (insurance/MOT) or that it is flagged for previous offences. They can't just stitch you up with a photoshop of car with your plates.

Originally posted by AlphaHawk
reply to post by Zarniwoop

 

True I suppose, but if they want to follow you, this is but a small tool in their arsenal, since they would have to count on you driving in your car and then being spotted by a cruiser.

It is not limited to cruisers....

Affixed to police cars, bridges or buildings, the scanners capture images of passing or parked vehicles and note their location, uploading that information into police databases.

Link: Read More

Originally posted by AlphaHawk
It may just help exonerate an innocent person from being convicted of a crime.

They can access their database and see who was where and when.

And conversely, it can prove someone was somewhere when they said they weren't.... A guy just got convicted of murdering his mistress here in the UK - he went to great lengths to cover his tracks and destroyed much of the evidence, but ANPR picked his car up near the victims house when he said he was miles away at the time, catching him in his lie.

It was only a matter of time before they came out these scanners for police cruisers. I was actually thinking about this very same topic just the other day.
This would really suck for those people who like to tip toe by with their expired licensed plates, I know a few of those people.....

Originally posted by hellobruce

Originally posted by jam321
Guess my biggest question is what can we do about it?

There is a very simple solution, stop driving and start taking public transport or walking, or a pushbike if you are that worried by it.

So I should change my behavior to fit the Government model? There is far more precedents for lack of expected privacy with the modes you speak of than in your automobile.