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November 1, 2013
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[h=6]Macomb County Sheriff's Deputy Derek Elsey shows what he sees on his screen. Four infrared cameras mounted on the roof of the patrol car record the license plate of any vehicle it comes across; the system aids in identifying stolen vehicles, stolen plates and people with arrest warrants. / Jessica J. Trevino/Detroit Free Press[/h]
[h=5]By Christina Hall
Detroit Free Press[/h]
[h=5]Related Links[/h]
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[h=6]Macomb County Sheriff's Deputy Derek Elsey demonstrates what he sees on his sheriff's vehicles screen when the automatic license plate reader records a plate. Privacy proponents are concerned with how the data is being handled. / Jessica J. Trevino/Detroit Free Press[/h]
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The four small cameras blend in with the overhead lights on top of Macomb County Sheriffs Deputy Derek Elseys patrol car.
But the little infrared devices can do big things capturing the license plate numbers of passing cars and continuously running them through a database, letting Elsey know if there is a hit on a possible stolen car or wanted suspect.
While license plate readers arent standard equipment for law enforcement agencies, their use is growing in Michigan and in other states. Grant money often helps agencies buy the systems, which can cost $10,000 to more than $20,000. The readers can be affixed to vehicles, bridges, overpasses and at border crossings
With millions of plates being scanned and often stored in databases across the country, the growing use of the readers has some civil libertarians and privacy proponents worried about potential abuse, such as tracking a spouse or ex-lover or even tracking the movements of a political opponent.
There are also questions about how effective the devices are and worries about the lack of data retention policies by the agencies using license plate readers a concern that at least one Michigan lawmaker wants to address through proposed legislation to regulate the devices and limit the amount of time collected data can be kept.
We understand that these are tools that make it easier for law enforcement to do their work, said Shelli Weisberg, legislative director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. But these technologies are advancing very, very quickly and our laws are not keeping up with the collateral damage of information they gather on everyday citizens.
Weisberg said the ACLU is concerned about many technological advances that collect information, such as the readers, which could track a vehicles movements across the state or country. She said if a law enforcement agency is going to adopt a high-tech device in its crime-fighting arsenal, it needs parameters on how its used.
Make sure there are very robust policies around making sure all the protections are in place, Weisberg said.
Elsey, who works traffic enforcement, admits its exciting when the computer indicates he may have a hit on a possible hot vehicle, such as one that is listed as stolen.
Sometimes its a misread, such as a similar license plate number thats wanted but turns out its from the wrong state. A handful of times in the last year, a hit turned out to be fruitful a woman wanted on a fraud warrant, a stolen license plate and two stolen vehicles.
Its good, just an extra tool, Elsey said of the license plate readers.
[h=3]How long to keep data[/h]State Rep. Sam Singh is working to get legislation passed that would regulate the use of license plate readers in Michigan and mandate license plate records collected by the readers be deleted within 48 hours unless it is evidence of specific criminal wrongdoing.
The East Lansing Democrat said the legislation was sparked after he heard about mid-Michigan law enforcement agencies using the devices without data retention policies.
What do we do with this data? How long do we keep it? If there is no sense of criminal activity, at what point should we destroy that information? Singh asked. For me, it was live up to the constitutional right of privacy that we have in this country.
He said he mirrored the legislation, particularly the data retention time frame, off of Minnesota, but hes willing to talk about the 48-hour time frame. He plans to meet with police groups that oppose the time frame to see if we can find common ground on the issue.
This kind of policy of having no amount of hours is what Im concerned about, Singh said.
Testimony on the proposed measure was taken Oct. 16 by the House criminal justice committee and included opposition from the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police and the Michigan Sheriffs Association.
Executive directors of both groups said the 48-hour window is unreasonable.
We believe that of all the data the police or government collects, this is the least innocuous of it, said Robert Stevenson, executive director of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. All we are collecting are numbers and letters.
The data also indicates the date and location where the vehicle was scanned information that could prove valuable if an officer hits on a vehicle thats stolen, involved in a missing child or adult, robbery, murder or terrorist attack.
Were not insensitive to peoples right to privacy, said Terry Jungel, executive director of the Michigan Sheriffs Association, adding that he believes the data retention should be six months to a year.
He said peoples movements already can be tracked by their cell phones.
If Big Brother is going to abuse information, theres better information to abuse than this, Jungel said.
Singhs legislation, proposed in September, was announced after a national ACLU study that examined the use of license plate readers by law enforcement in 38 states and Washington.
The Michigan ACLU did not participate in the freedom of information request, Weisberg said, but now is in the process of performing its own study to determine what agencies have the devices in Michigan and how they are used.
Nineteen of the more than 600 law enforcement agencies in Michigan have memorandums of understanding with Michigan State Police to have access to license plate reader files or databases, said Kevin Collins, manager of the State Polices field support section. Some may use the files; others may be preparing to use them when they start using the readers.
Collins said there is no fee for an agency to have a memorandum of understanding with State Police, which itself does not use license plate readers. Agencies also can use readers for checking license plates they are interested in finding but cannot tap into state or national databases, he said.
[h=3]Grants fund equipment[/h]The Macomb County Sheriffs Office and Sterling Heights police got license plate readers through a grant Utica police acquired and shared with neighboring law enforcement agencies. The sheriffs office, for example, has three readers but only one currently in service. Utica police stopped using their readers a few months ago because of a computer system problem, Chief Dave Faber said.
The Oakland County Sheriffs Office plans to acquire license plate readers, possibly next year, Undersheriff Mike McCabe said. The readers work better now, he said, because hot lists with license plates of interest can be compared live, not to lists that are a few days old.
McCabe said the readers probably would be deployed in Pontiac, which is one of the highest areas in the county for auto theft. They would be in use after a department policy is developed, he said.
Wayne County Sheriffs Office Spokeswoman Paula Bridges said in an e-mail that some departments are considering the devices, but budget challenges prevent us from enacting that type of technology in conjunction with law enforcement efforts. She said officials might revisit the idea if the office received grant money to cover the cost.
Meridian Township Police near Lansing got a grant to obtain the devices. Township Police Lt. Greg Frenger said the readers are installed on three cars and the department has a policy on their use and time frame for keeping the data, which is 18 months. He said the department, which trained on the devices in 2011, can use them only for official purposes, such as detecting stolen vehicles, not keeping track of ex-spouses or former friends. He said they have had a few hits, such as a suspect in a domestic violence incident.
Were not trying to find out where Joe Smith hangs his hat or hangs out unless Joe Smith is wanted in a homicide or some major event, Frenger said. Then, wed be looking at the system of contact Joe Smith has had with the system. Its not telling me anything about that person, it just categorizes, this intersection on this date and time. Were only using it for investigative purposes.
Lansing Police Officer Robert Merritt said the force has three systems on its patrol cars that are in test mode with the hope of having another three in the future.
We wont allow them to go into use until we have a policy or procedure in place, he said.
[h=3]Drivers unaware[/h]Despite the debate about the devices, many metro Detroit drivers hadnt heard about them.
Carli Lintemuth was unaware of the readers but isnt worried about them, she said, because she doesnt do anything wrong.
On the other hand, you have to wonder how far the arm reaches, said the 35-year-old Royal Oak woman, adding that while technology is convenient, shes not so sure its ethical.
Joe Gyuran, who drives more than 40,000 miles a year for work, doesnt have a problem with law enforcement using the readers especially if it helps keep criminals off the street.
Big Brother knows anyway. This is nothing new, said the 54-year-old Allen Park man. Our cops have tough jobs nowadays. Give them every tool that they can use. The governments got enough info on you anyway.
Rana Mazer, who learned about the devices during a criminal justice class at Macomb Community College last year, agreed.
Its gonna make the streets safer, said Mazer, 22, of Macomb Township. I wish every car had it. It would make the job a lot easier for everybody.
New Baltimore resident Patty Fultz, 47, said the idea of the readers bothers her a bit, but I think its a good thing if theyre used right.
http://www.freep.com/article/20131101/NEWS05/311010022/License-plate-readers-privacy-police
http://www.bing.com/search?q=license+plate+readers+in+michigan&form=MSNH14&refig=ded1f7c768324e758d002b3b02f98037&pq=license+plate+readers+in+michigan&sc=0-28&sp=-1&qs=n&sk=
[h=6]Macomb County Sheriff's Deputy Derek Elsey shows what he sees on his screen. Four infrared cameras mounted on the roof of the patrol car record the license plate of any vehicle it comes across; the system aids in identifying stolen vehicles, stolen plates and people with arrest warrants. / Jessica J. Trevino/Detroit Free Press[/h]
[h=5]By Christina Hall
Detroit Free Press[/h]
[h=5]Related Links[/h]
[h=6]Macomb County Sheriff's Deputy Derek Elsey demonstrates what he sees on his sheriff's vehicles screen when the automatic license plate reader records a plate. Privacy proponents are concerned with how the data is being handled. / Jessica J. Trevino/Detroit Free Press[/h]
More
ADVERTISEMENT
The four small cameras blend in with the overhead lights on top of Macomb County Sheriffs Deputy Derek Elseys patrol car.
But the little infrared devices can do big things capturing the license plate numbers of passing cars and continuously running them through a database, letting Elsey know if there is a hit on a possible stolen car or wanted suspect.
While license plate readers arent standard equipment for law enforcement agencies, their use is growing in Michigan and in other states. Grant money often helps agencies buy the systems, which can cost $10,000 to more than $20,000. The readers can be affixed to vehicles, bridges, overpasses and at border crossings
With millions of plates being scanned and often stored in databases across the country, the growing use of the readers has some civil libertarians and privacy proponents worried about potential abuse, such as tracking a spouse or ex-lover or even tracking the movements of a political opponent.
There are also questions about how effective the devices are and worries about the lack of data retention policies by the agencies using license plate readers a concern that at least one Michigan lawmaker wants to address through proposed legislation to regulate the devices and limit the amount of time collected data can be kept.
We understand that these are tools that make it easier for law enforcement to do their work, said Shelli Weisberg, legislative director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. But these technologies are advancing very, very quickly and our laws are not keeping up with the collateral damage of information they gather on everyday citizens.
Weisberg said the ACLU is concerned about many technological advances that collect information, such as the readers, which could track a vehicles movements across the state or country. She said if a law enforcement agency is going to adopt a high-tech device in its crime-fighting arsenal, it needs parameters on how its used.
Make sure there are very robust policies around making sure all the protections are in place, Weisberg said.
Elsey, who works traffic enforcement, admits its exciting when the computer indicates he may have a hit on a possible hot vehicle, such as one that is listed as stolen.
Sometimes its a misread, such as a similar license plate number thats wanted but turns out its from the wrong state. A handful of times in the last year, a hit turned out to be fruitful a woman wanted on a fraud warrant, a stolen license plate and two stolen vehicles.
Its good, just an extra tool, Elsey said of the license plate readers.
[h=3]How long to keep data[/h]State Rep. Sam Singh is working to get legislation passed that would regulate the use of license plate readers in Michigan and mandate license plate records collected by the readers be deleted within 48 hours unless it is evidence of specific criminal wrongdoing.
The East Lansing Democrat said the legislation was sparked after he heard about mid-Michigan law enforcement agencies using the devices without data retention policies.
What do we do with this data? How long do we keep it? If there is no sense of criminal activity, at what point should we destroy that information? Singh asked. For me, it was live up to the constitutional right of privacy that we have in this country.
He said he mirrored the legislation, particularly the data retention time frame, off of Minnesota, but hes willing to talk about the 48-hour time frame. He plans to meet with police groups that oppose the time frame to see if we can find common ground on the issue.
This kind of policy of having no amount of hours is what Im concerned about, Singh said.
Testimony on the proposed measure was taken Oct. 16 by the House criminal justice committee and included opposition from the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police and the Michigan Sheriffs Association.
Executive directors of both groups said the 48-hour window is unreasonable.
We believe that of all the data the police or government collects, this is the least innocuous of it, said Robert Stevenson, executive director of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. All we are collecting are numbers and letters.
The data also indicates the date and location where the vehicle was scanned information that could prove valuable if an officer hits on a vehicle thats stolen, involved in a missing child or adult, robbery, murder or terrorist attack.
Were not insensitive to peoples right to privacy, said Terry Jungel, executive director of the Michigan Sheriffs Association, adding that he believes the data retention should be six months to a year.
He said peoples movements already can be tracked by their cell phones.
If Big Brother is going to abuse information, theres better information to abuse than this, Jungel said.
Singhs legislation, proposed in September, was announced after a national ACLU study that examined the use of license plate readers by law enforcement in 38 states and Washington.
The Michigan ACLU did not participate in the freedom of information request, Weisberg said, but now is in the process of performing its own study to determine what agencies have the devices in Michigan and how they are used.
Nineteen of the more than 600 law enforcement agencies in Michigan have memorandums of understanding with Michigan State Police to have access to license plate reader files or databases, said Kevin Collins, manager of the State Polices field support section. Some may use the files; others may be preparing to use them when they start using the readers.
Collins said there is no fee for an agency to have a memorandum of understanding with State Police, which itself does not use license plate readers. Agencies also can use readers for checking license plates they are interested in finding but cannot tap into state or national databases, he said.
[h=3]Grants fund equipment[/h]The Macomb County Sheriffs Office and Sterling Heights police got license plate readers through a grant Utica police acquired and shared with neighboring law enforcement agencies. The sheriffs office, for example, has three readers but only one currently in service. Utica police stopped using their readers a few months ago because of a computer system problem, Chief Dave Faber said.
The Oakland County Sheriffs Office plans to acquire license plate readers, possibly next year, Undersheriff Mike McCabe said. The readers work better now, he said, because hot lists with license plates of interest can be compared live, not to lists that are a few days old.
McCabe said the readers probably would be deployed in Pontiac, which is one of the highest areas in the county for auto theft. They would be in use after a department policy is developed, he said.
Wayne County Sheriffs Office Spokeswoman Paula Bridges said in an e-mail that some departments are considering the devices, but budget challenges prevent us from enacting that type of technology in conjunction with law enforcement efforts. She said officials might revisit the idea if the office received grant money to cover the cost.
Meridian Township Police near Lansing got a grant to obtain the devices. Township Police Lt. Greg Frenger said the readers are installed on three cars and the department has a policy on their use and time frame for keeping the data, which is 18 months. He said the department, which trained on the devices in 2011, can use them only for official purposes, such as detecting stolen vehicles, not keeping track of ex-spouses or former friends. He said they have had a few hits, such as a suspect in a domestic violence incident.
Were not trying to find out where Joe Smith hangs his hat or hangs out unless Joe Smith is wanted in a homicide or some major event, Frenger said. Then, wed be looking at the system of contact Joe Smith has had with the system. Its not telling me anything about that person, it just categorizes, this intersection on this date and time. Were only using it for investigative purposes.
Lansing Police Officer Robert Merritt said the force has three systems on its patrol cars that are in test mode with the hope of having another three in the future.
We wont allow them to go into use until we have a policy or procedure in place, he said.
[h=3]Drivers unaware[/h]Despite the debate about the devices, many metro Detroit drivers hadnt heard about them.
Carli Lintemuth was unaware of the readers but isnt worried about them, she said, because she doesnt do anything wrong.
On the other hand, you have to wonder how far the arm reaches, said the 35-year-old Royal Oak woman, adding that while technology is convenient, shes not so sure its ethical.
Joe Gyuran, who drives more than 40,000 miles a year for work, doesnt have a problem with law enforcement using the readers especially if it helps keep criminals off the street.
Big Brother knows anyway. This is nothing new, said the 54-year-old Allen Park man. Our cops have tough jobs nowadays. Give them every tool that they can use. The governments got enough info on you anyway.
Rana Mazer, who learned about the devices during a criminal justice class at Macomb Community College last year, agreed.
Its gonna make the streets safer, said Mazer, 22, of Macomb Township. I wish every car had it. It would make the job a lot easier for everybody.
New Baltimore resident Patty Fultz, 47, said the idea of the readers bothers her a bit, but I think its a good thing if theyre used right.
http://www.freep.com/article/20131101/NEWS05/311010022/License-plate-readers-privacy-police
http://www.bing.com/search?q=license+plate+readers+in+michigan&form=MSNH14&refig=ded1f7c768324e758d002b3b02f98037&pq=license+plate+readers+in+michigan&sc=0-28&sp=-1&qs=n&sk=
