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February 22, 2012

CT Police Maintain Open, Searchable Database of License Plate Scans: ACLU

By Beecher Tuttle, TMCnet Contributor

The common police practice of scanning license plates to look for stolen or unregistered vehicles has privacy groups up in arms after learning that Connecticut authorities are storing and sharing the information through a publicly-accessible database, according to a new AP report.



Through a Freedom of Information request, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) learned that the Capital Region Chiefs of Police Association maintains a database of 3.1 million license plate scans. Included in the database is information on when and where Connecticut vehicles have been – even if the cars aren't linked to criminal activity.

The ACLU is concerned both about the ramifications for police – who could use the scans as a form of retroactive surveillance without probable cause – and the fact that the public has access to the data.

"Once that data is shared, the police department loses all control of the data," David McGuire, an attorney for the ACLU of Connecticut, told the AP. "You could figure out where someone works or when they leave for work. You could use the person's travel to deduce whether they are a churchgoer or attend a political rally or an AA meeting."

The ACLU acknowledged that the scanning technology is a "legitimate law enforcement tool," but has asked Connecticut lawmakers to add oversights and delete the scans after a few weeks, similar to the mandates of other states.

Redding police Chief Douglas Fuchs, the president of the Connecticut Police Chief's association, told the news source that the scanners only compare plates to a predetermined list of vehicles with links to criminal activity, and if you aren't on the list, "the license plate reader will never know you exist."

In 2011 alone, the technology resulted in nearly 850 motor vehicle arrests and 28 criminal arrests, including one case of arson where a suspect claimed to be nowhere near the scene of the fire. Police checked the database and found he had been nearby, leading the suspect to admit to the crime.

Still, McGuire says that the lack of oversight could easily lead to misuse of the technology by outsiders such as auto repossession firms and tabloid journalists. The ACLU is pushing lawmakers to pass a bill that adds time limits on data storage and restricts the use of the information to police. It is unclear if lawmakers will move on the bill before the end of the year, says the AP.


Beecher Tuttle is a TMCnet contributor. He has extensive experience writing and editing for print publications and online news websites. He has specialized in a variety of industries, including health care technology, politics and education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Rich Steeves

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