Slashdot Mirror
ACLU Protests Police Scanning License Plates
dustman81 writes "The ACLU is objecting to the practice of police in Springdale, Ohio using an automated license-plate scanner on patrol cars to locate stolen vehicles or those whose owners are wanted on felony warrants. The scanner can read 900 license plates an hour traveling at highway speeds. So far, the scanner has located 95 stolen cars and helped locate 111 wanted felons. The locations of the license plates scanned are tagged with GPS data. All matches are stored (with no expiration date given) and can be brought up later and cross-referenced on a map. If the plate is wanted, the times and locations of where it was scanned can be referenced. The Springdale police department hopes to begin using the system soon to locate misdemeanor suspects. This system is also in use in British Columbia."
The ACLU is pathetic. Aside from their outright hypocrisy on the Second Amendment, I'm in more danger from them and the constitutional rights they profess to protect, than anybody else. All things considered, I prefer less criminals on the streets, and crime being more dangerous to the criminal, than the victim. And how they deserve tax exempt status is beyond me completely.
"It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
Driving is NOT A RIGHT! It is a PRIVILEGE that is exerced on PUBLIC ROADS, in *FULL VIEW* of the public, including law enforcement drones. As such, there shall be no expectation of privacy whatsoever for anyone who operates a motor car on a public road. And the idea behind license plates is that they shall be visible to law-enforcement officials.