Caught on Camera: A Candid Conversation on Public Safety, Privacy, and Police Surveillance

Featuring

[Moderator] Lisel Petis, Policy Director, Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties, R Street Institute

Andrea Korb, Senior Director of Policy, Flock Safety

Emily Grimmius, Privacy Policy Analyst, Libertas Institute

Ian Adams, PhD, Associate Professor, Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of South Carolina

Overview

Police departments say automated license plate readers (ALPRs) help solve crimes faster. Privacy advocates warn they can quietly build detailed records of where people go and when. And the public has seen firsthand how the technology can be abused by law enforcement. In the meantime, ALPR technology is expanding quickly and moving beyond basic capabilities, leaving policy to play catch-up.

Featuring subject matter experts who see the issue from very different perspectives, this event offers a chance to catch up on the latest developments in the complicated, fast-moving debate around ALPRs. 

Join us for a thoughtful, candid, and respectful conversation about ALPR technology, public safety, privacy, and the rules that should govern the use of powerful surveillance tools. Our goal is to foster a conversation among people who do not naturally see the issue the same way. Come with an open mind to learn and share with each other for the betterment of public discourse around the issue.

Our panelists will discuss:

• What information the technology is currently collecting 
• Who should be able to access that information and when 
• How long collected information should be stored
• Positive public safety outcomes 
• The point at which a useful investigative tool becomes a surveillance system
• Whether we can protect both public safety and personal privacy without having one come at the expense of the other

Please check out our blog series on the topic: “Every Car, Everywhere, All at Once.”