The Department of Public Safety has published guidance for Missouri law enforcement agencies on best practices for the use of automated license plate readers or ALPRs.
It’s the result of an executive order issued in September by Governor Mike Kehoe, which called for DPS to issue the guidance within 10 business days. DPS says the document was distributed to all state and local law enforcement agencies on record with the agency.
It said the guidance is designed to ensure strict safeguards on the use of ALPR technology, including Flock cameras. The guidance is meant to ensure there’s a legitimate law enforcement purpose for any ALPR data search, there’s individual accountability for anyone with access to the data, retention of ALPR data is limited to 30 days and there’s independent verification of ALPR alerts before enforcement, among other things.
Kehoe ordered “to the greatest extent possible by all applicable law, all state agencies, boards, commissions, and local law enforcement entities that receive state funding and utilize ALPR technology” to implement minimum standards governing the use of ALPR technology until the legislature can act on the issue.
Acting Springfield Police Chief Tad Peters said in a statement to KSMU that “we hear the community's concern regarding their privacy, and we agree that privacy should be protected, which is why we support the lawful, ethical, transparent and accountable use of Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology. The recent announcements by both Governor Kehoe and the Missouri Department of Public Safety include reasonable and appropriate parameters based on current best practices, and SPD is already in compliance. For more than 13 years, SPD's ALPR program has helped solve and reduce crime in Springfield, including a nearly 50 percent reduction in reported stolen vehicles over the past four years.”
