Featured Article: Automated License Plate Readers (August 29th, 2024)
Congressional Communities is featuring one Congressional Research Service (CRS) article per day in effort to share with our readers the wealth of information that the CRS makes readily available.
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Today’s featured CRS article, “Law Enforcement and Technology: Use of Automated License Plate Readers,” discusses the use of automated license plate readers by law enforcement to prevent or prosecute crime. This article falls under the issue areas of Crime and Law Enforcement and Science, Technology, Communications. From the CRS:
Over the past couple of decades, law enforcement use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs; also referred to as LPRs) has increased. These tools are now relatively commonplace in policing. […] These readers are one of many tools law enforcement agencies have in their toolkits to help investigate crime. Initially, ALPRs were thought of as a tool to help combat automobile theft, but their use has expanded. Agencies use ALPRs for a variety of purposes, including gathering intelligence and evidence, helping identify or apprehend potential suspects in a range of criminal investigations, locating missing or kidnapped individuals, and facilitating crime scene analysis.
Law enforcement use of ALPRs raises a range of questions for policymakers and the public. For instance, some may examine what policies and procedures agencies have in place to govern ALPR use and how police and policymakers conduct oversight for this technology. Some may also question how ALPR use may simultaneously enhance law enforcement agencies’ work and potentially infringe upon individuals’ privacy and civil liberties. These considerations have reportedly led to some states passing laws governing the use of ALPRs and the retention of data collected by these tools.
This report focuses on the use of ALPRs specifically for law enforcement purposes. It provides an overview of how they work and federal law enforcement agencies’ use of them — with an emphasis on U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) agencies. The report also presents considerations for policymakers debating whether or how to affect federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies’ use of ALPRs.
Interested readers can find the full article here.
