We’ve long discussed the speed enforcement cameras in Davenport. From the days of a van with a person inside snapping photos of speeders and mailing them out, to now an automated box and automated vans that move around the city, nabbing photos – and that doesn’t even include the ones sitting on stoplight poles.
Now, there’s a new type of camera in the Quad Cities, and this one is a little more controversial than the already highly controversial speed cameras.
What Is An ALPR?
They’re called ALPRs: Automated License Plate Readers. The most well-known brand to people is from the company Flock Safety.
How ALPRs Work
ALPRs are AI-powered, capturing and analyzing all passing vehicles, storing details like a car’s location, date, and time. The cameras capture details like make, model, color and even identifying features such as dents, roof racks, and bumper stickers.
Nationwide, the cameras collect data from millions of vehicles, explained as a tool to help fight crime. If a vehicle is described to law enforcement, they can put those details into their database…