SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) — The Sioux Falls Police Department calls the use of automated license plate readers an effective tool for catching criminals, while civil liberties advocates warn the technology enables mass surveillance of everyday citizens.
According to crowdsourced data, more than 300 Flock Safety cameras are currently operating across South Dakota. The cameras capture images of vehicles and their license plates as they pass, instantly cross-referencing them against law enforcement databases.
“It’s taking a picture of cars as they pass through them, just of their license plates and the vehicle itself,” Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum said. “It’s a stolen vehicle or wanted person hot list and then providing alerts if one of those vehicles comes through.”…