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License Plate reading cameras

prometeus

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What is your opinion on cameras mounted on police cars that read plates and automatically do a search?

Is it a warrantless search?
 
What is your opinion on cameras mounted on police cars that read plates and automatically do a search?

Is it a warrantless search?

Yes and they have them in guardrails to track license plates to follow one's activity along with ones on lights.. They be watching us and it doesn't matter which political party they belong to they are all doing it.
 
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What is your opinion on cameras mounted on police cars that read plates and automatically do a search?

Is it a warrantless search?

No it isn't a warrantless search under any stretch of current law. As for my opinion of them, whatever. My city doesn't use them. They mount the license plate readers on the police cars which makes them harder to avoid.
 
Yes it is, but so is a person walking down the street. Should law enforcement be able to use facial recognition and searches based on that?

Tell me the difference between a police officer eyeing a license plate and remembering an APB and recognition software spotting and doing the same.

I would argue that the recognition software would be less likely to make a mistake resulting in an improper stop.
 
What is your opinion on cameras mounted on police cars that read plates and automatically do a search?

Is it a warrantless search?
Consider two possible scenarios;

1) A police officer deals with a hit and run, where a witness tells him the licence number of the car involved. He writes up the report and remembers the number. A couple of days later he spots a car with the same licence plate so he stops the driver for questioning.

2) A police officer deals with a hit and run, where a witness tells him the licence number of the car involved. He writes up the report and the number is entered in a database. A couple of days later a police camera identifies a car with the same licence plate so the driver is stopped for questioning.

Morally speaking, what would be the difference?
 
Tell me the difference between a police officer eyeing a license plate and remembering an APB and recognition software spotting and doing the same.

I would argue that the recognition software would be less likely to make a mistake resulting in an improper stop.

But isnt the APB similar to probable cause?
 
Normally I would say the camera would be more accurate in its reading than someones memory, except....

In my state, despite having Freeways, some are sectioned off to become toll lanes. You have to pay for a pass to use them or be fined. Four times I was fined because an out-of-state vehicle had the same licence plate as mine and used the lanes without a pass. Each time I had to call and point out that was not only an out-of-state plate but, that the vehicle in the photo was a truck and mine was a car. After many calls I finally found someone who recognized their system was also supposed to match the state with the number, they reported it and the software was corrected.

But, despite that, I would still be inclined to favor the police camera in patrol cars. If you worry about being on camera now days you really have a problem, they are everywhere, don't even think you are alone in an elevator when you pick your nose.
 
What is your opinion on cameras mounted on police cars that read plates and automatically do a search?

Is it a warrantless search?

I've been thinking this thru more. If they legitimately get the hit based on a warrant or other bulletin in the database...why would it be wrong to pull them over?

OTOH, it also depends on what the warrant, etc is for. Does overdue child support give probable cause to search the vehicle, for example?



And btw, I hate the idea of the cameras in general.
 
What is your opinion on cameras mounted on police cars that read plates and automatically do a search?

Is it a warrantless search?
No.
And no competent US court of law would entertain such a claim.
 
What is your opinion on cameras mounted on police cars that read plates and automatically do a search?

Is it a warrantless search?

Those have been around for at least a decade. You know that, right?
 
Those have been around for at least a decade. You know that, right?
Yes, its just I do not recall a discussion on it and it came up when talking with some friends and I thought I will bring it up here too.
 
I think license plate readers are fine. It's publicly displayed and there is no invasion of privacy by someone taking a picture or otherwise capturing a licence plate, be they from the government, or not.

That said...I think that accessing the database that links a license plate to all kinds of personal information, is an invasion of privacy and should only be used when there is reasonable belief that a crime is being, has been, or is about to be committed. Now that is my personal belief.

The law says that they are fine so my belief is as meaningful as tits on a windmill.
 
What is your opinion on cameras mounted on police cars that read plates and automatically do a search?

Is it a warrantless search?

No, it would not constitute a warrantless search. However, in Alaska citations must be issued by a law enforcement officer. Meaning photo radar or other means of automatically issuing a citation is illegal in Alaska. All traffic tickets must be issued by a sworn law enforcement officer, not a machine.
 
What is your opinion on cameras mounted on police cars that read plates and automatically do a search?

Is it a warrantless search?

No. All it does is see who owns the car, if it is stolen, if the registration is up to date and the driver has insurance (if it even does that.)

They have had them in Britain for years and it is no big deal. After watching their police shows for years the cops pull over the car and still have to radio in or call insurance companies if there is a question. Mostly it is stolen cars.
 
Yes it is, but so is a person walking down the street. Should law enforcement be able to use facial recognition and searches based on that?

There are CCTV cameras all over England, Aussie, NZ etc and they monitor people and recognize them from time to time and call in the cops to stop people with warrants, etc. I walk past the cameras probably daily and have no worry at all that they see me.
 
No.
And no competent US court of law would entertain such a claim.

Have you by any chance seen some flying pigs out there? Anywhere? Because I actually agree with you. I think ANPR devices (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) devices are awesome bit of technology to find disqualified drivers, find uninsured drivers, find stolen cars, find stolen plates and catch come criminals too.
 
Have you by any chance seen some flying pigs out there? Anywhere? Because I actually agree with you. I think ANPR devices (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) devices are awesome bit of technology to find disqualified drivers, find uninsured drivers, find stolen cars, find stolen plates and catch come criminals too.

I didn't argue they were good or should be implemented.

I only pointed out that it is not "a warrantless[SUP][sp][/SUP] search" as the OP queried.
 
I didn't argue they were good or should be implemented.

I only pointed out that it is not "a warrantless[SUP][sp][/SUP] search" as the OP queried.

My mistake then but I think the police needs technical advances like that. If you have to worry about a potential threat coming from every car and every door, you need every technical tool you can have at your disposal.
 
My mistake then but I think the police needs technical advances like that. If you have to worry about a potential threat coming from every car and every door, you need every technical tool you can have at your disposal.

Whatever.
I clearly do not subscribe to your train of thought.
 
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