RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia is raising privacy concerns about law enforcement’s use of automated cameras that photograph license plates of vehicles as they pass by.
The Virginia group sent requests Monday to the Virginia State Police, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Fairfax County, Virginia Beach, Prince William County, Chesterfield County, Henrico County, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Arlington County, Richmond City, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, Danville, Bristol, and Warrenton.
The requests seek information about how the agencies are using the license plate readers. Thirty-four ACLU affiliates across the nation sent similar requests.
Catherine Crump with the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project says the readers allow police to track motorists’ locations and store that information forever.
