The future of automated license plate readers in Austin hangs in the balance as the City Council decides whether to extend their usage following a trial period. Initially put on pause in 2020 over issues of potentially unjust targeting, the program resumed on a trial basis with revised guidelines and community input.
The trial ran with 40 cameras set up around Austin, capturing data on license plates and supplying this information to local authorities, intended to be retained for seven days unless needed for ongoing investigations. With the trial drawing to a close, the council is considering a three-month extension to evaluate the program's performance data from the past year, CBS Austin reports.
According to a memo by Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis obtained by KVUE, the license plate readers have been dubbed "integral to the plan for reducing violent crime citywide". Highlighting their importance, a police department spokesperson indicated that these cameras have so far led to the recovery of 241 stolen vehicles and resulted in 222 arrests, which include cases of murder, kidnapping, and further violent crimes.
Yet, some council members exercise caution, voicing concerns about civil liberties. In a council work session, District 7 Councilmember Mike Siegel expressed unease about funding what he deems could become a "mass surveillance program." He also noted the current climate where federal power might be misused against communities, telling CBS Austin of his apprehensions.
Councilmember Siegel's remarks regarding access to data led to a clarification from Assistant Chief Jeff Greenwalt, who stated that the only data they're mandated by law to share is with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Addressing a specific query during the work session, Greenwalt assured that state requests for data concerning matters like abortion would not necessitate compliance and that in the year-long trial, there were "absolutely zero requests from any outside law enforcement agency for any of our data whatsoever," as mentioned in the KVUE interview.
The City Council will convene Thursday at 10 a.m. to deliberate the program's potential extension to June 30, allowing further review before any decisions on making the license plate readers a permanent fixture of the city's crime-fighting arsenal are made.
