NORFOLK, Va. (CN) — A federal judge sided with the city of Norfolk Tuesday, ruling its use of automated license plate readers doesn’t violate Fourth Amendment privacy rights.
“Today, the federal court decided that Norfolk Police Department’s use of Flock ALPR cameras is fully compliant with the Constitution,” a city spokesperson said in an email. “While the city is pleased with this outcome, it is mindful of the privacy interests raised with the use of law enforcement tools like ALPRs and will benefit from the analysis and guidance provided in the court’s thorough and thoughtful opinion.”
The Fourth Amendment provides the right of the people to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures in their persons, houses, papers and effects. In determining whether a policy violates the Constitution, the Supreme Court tasks lower courts with deciding whether the plaintiffs have a reasonable expectation of privacy. U.S. District Court Judge Mark Davis ruled that a search doesn’t occur when cameras take discrete pictures at different locations…