A legal battle unfolding in Colorado could have major implications for how police departments use vehicle surveillance technology, and it is putting one city’s camera network directly under the spotlight.
A first-of-its-kind lawsuit filed in Colorado accuses the Boulder Police Department of conducting illegal mass surveillance through a network of Flock Safety license plate reader cameras installed throughout the city. The class-action case alleges that Boulder police deployed dozens of cameras capable of tracking vehicles while failing to establish privacy protections designed to prevent abuse.
At the center of the dispute is Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn and a citywide system of 31 license plate reader cameras. According to the lawsuit, the department created a surveillance network that monitors drivers without the constitutional protections required under Colorado law…