As lawmakers seek to regulate use of automated license plate readers in Virginia, debates continue about how best to do so. Legislation faced a brief defeat in a Senate committee on Monday before being revived for further deliberation. License plate readers are typically cameras mounted on poles or overpasses (but can also be dashboard cameras) […]
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Flock Safety cameras capture license plates. (Photo courtesy of Flock Safety)
As lawmakers seek to regulate use of automated license plate readers in Virginia, debates continue about how best to do so. Legislation faced a brief defeat in a Senate committee on Monday before being revived for further deliberation.
License plate readers are typically cameras mounted on poles or overpasses (but can also be dashboard cameras) that capture a photograph or video clip of a vehicle and its license plate along with the location, date and time of the capture. The technology has grown in popularity across the country in both public and private sector use — from businesses to homeowner associations to law enforcement agencies. But with no state regulation, the technology’s use exists in a legal gray area.
