License plate reading technology has been the subject of scrutiny locally and nationally as concerns about civilian privacy and using sensitive location-based data for immigration enforcement escalate.
The concern isn’t unfounded. Law enforcement agencies across California — a sanctuary state — have routinely violated state law by sharing information from automated license plate readers, also known as ALPRs, with federal agencies including ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Proponents of the technology say that capturing plate numbers in real time is an invaluable resource in fighting crime — aiding investigations into kidnapping, finding stolen vehicles and capturing murder suspects. ALPRs have been adopted by at least 5,000 state, local and federal law enforcement agencies nationwide…