Police in Woonsocket are testing some of the latest license plate scanning and surveillance technology. These systems are able to scan and match thousands of license plates per day, and match them against law enforcement and DMV databases for stolen cars, suspended drivers licenses, or any other reason the car or driver might be sought by police.
According to the Woonsocket Patch, these systems are automatically updated with stolen car and other data from the National Crime Information Center. They can be easily adapted to get local data from the Rhode Island DMV to have current data on cars owned by drivers who may have suspended driver’s licenses, or anyone wanted by Rhode Island courts for bail jumping or an outstanding warrant.
There is a license plate scanning system already in operation by Providence police.
Automatic license plate recognition systems are quickly becoming a must-have item for police forces, because of their ability to be a force multiplier on the streets. An officer is instantly alerted to any vehicle sought for charges or wanted for questioning. Previously, an officer would have to manually enter the plate of any nearby vehicles, but these systems literally scan, check, match, and store location data on any plate within camera range.
This ability to collect massive amounts of data on cars raises significant concerns among civil liberties and privacy advocates. Car location data via GPS markers from these systems can be stored and saved in a massive, national surveillance database, where it is very possible for your driving location history to be accessed by government officials at any time.
But police just like them because it makes there jobs easier. And that is understandable.
But it is important for citizens to be aware of this government data collection.
And, at a minimum, if your license is under suspension in Rhode Island, you can’t expect to drive your car without being spotted and pulled over.
