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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."

6 of 821 comments (clear)

  1. Re:And they're going to lose.. by TeraCo · · Score: 1, Troll

    Is it the efficiency or the fact that crimes are being solved that the ACLU is objecting to?

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  2. No tags? by Speedracer1870 · · Score: 0, Troll

    So they can't track me if I don't have a tag displayed? (still waiting on plate and only have papers) Awesome! I guess I should go commit felonies and have lots of fun now...

  3. Re:And they're going to lose.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    How's this for profiling: you're a fucking moron.

  4. Re:Driving is not a right! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll
    It is a PRIVILEGE

    Suck my cock until it bleeds, you soft-mouthed piece of shit. People who believe this "privilege" shit are just as fucking stupid and gullible as the ones who believe you have no privacy once you step outside of your locked-and-bolted toilet door.

    Let the dogs have you -- just don't try to convince me I should turn myself out to anyone who spouts a goddamned self-serving little slogan.

    To hell with all you self-castrating bedwetters.

    ... there shall be ....

    Fuck you all the way up the ass, you pompous, self-important little shit. Who the hell do you think you are to pull off all this "shall" horseshit. You pathetic little twat -- go back to sucking mommy's tits until you've grown up enough to debate with your elders.

  5. Due process doesn't mean avoiding process by IndustrialComplex · · Score: 0, Troll

    In all honesty, I don't have much of a problem with this system. When it is applied to those accused of crimes, not only is it the responsability of the court system to provide you with a fair trial, but it is your responsability to engage in that process. If the government has upheld its side of the bargain by offering a fair trial, then I don't have any pity if your license plate is flagged.

    Granted, this system should only record numbers that are registered to fugatives, and other situation within reason (Yes you can quibble about it, but I'm not going to enumerate the exact situations in a /. post) What is our job, is making sure that we block the laws that could abuse our rights, and make sure that there is clear oversight on the system. That is our part of the deal.

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  6. It could have been a sneaky survey.... by raehl · · Score: 0, Troll

    If you want to find out where criminals live, send out a bunch of questionnaires asking what priority the police should put on arresting criminals. The people who respond that the priority should be low are your criminals, and now you know where they live!