A surveillance technology that few people are aware of, designed to track the movements of every passing driver, is fast becoming a common tool used by law enforcement. Automatic license plate readers (ALPRs), mounted on police cars or on objects like road signs and bridges, use small, high-speed cameras to photograph thousands of plates per minute. National interest in law enforcement and technology has already been a hot topic since the Department of Justice’s announcement in September that its agencies must obtain a warrant before using a StingRay cell-site simulator. However, where StingRay devices have minimal guidance on their usage, it can easily be argued that ALPRs lack clear authority.
The information captured by ALPRs – including the license plate number, and the date, time, and location of every scan – is being collected, stored and sometimes pooled into regional law enforcement sharing systems. As a result, enormous databases of innocent motorists’ location information are growing rapidly. This information is often retained for years or even indefinitely, with few or no restrictions to protect privacy rights. ALPRs are becoming so ubiquitous in law enforcement that the device already has its own wikipedia page.
Tennessee legislation passed in 2014 addressing law enforcement’s use of ALPRs provides that any captured automatic license plate data collected by a government entity may not be stored for more than 90 days unless they are part of an ongoing investigation, and in that case provides for data to be destroyed after the conclusion of the investigation.
The implications for citizens’ privacy and civil liberties are staggering.
Because people spend so much time in their cars, especially in commuting municipalities like Nashville, law enforcement and the government can potentially glean very personal information from the license plate data. In the United Kingdom, authorities have access to a national database which is used to mark the cars that the state deems need to be on a watch list.
In our society, it is a core principle that the government does not invade people’s privacy and collect information about citizens’ innocent activities just in case they do something wrong.
Donna Wagner is a criminal defense attorney who has been practicing law since 2004. If you are in need of experienced, competent legal council contact Ms. Wagner to schedule a consultation.
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“I spoke with several attorneys and from the moment I spoke with Donna I knew she was the person I wanted to hire for a child custody case.
From the very first interaction she was enthusiastic, friendly, and honest. She asked a lot of questions to get to know the case well. I was so impressed with how thorough and thoughtful she was throughout the entire process, explaining every step along the way.
Donna was great at staying in contact and kept me updated as everything progressed. She was affordable and very fair in her billing. If ever another situation is to arise in which I’m requiring legal assistance and representation she will be the first I call.
Due to Donna’s persistence I was able to come out ahead with more than I had ever hoped for when I first brought her my case. She helped me to see and understand things about my situation that would have never occurred to me on my own.
This woman has so much integrity! I’m so grateful for all of her help during a nerve wracking time. She was incredibly personable. I highly recommend Donna Wagner for your legal needs.
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I know for certain that If I am needing an attorney again in the future, I will be using Donna Wagner. There are so many great things to say about Donna. However, I believe what I appreciated most was how Donna handles special situations, and I assure you, my circumstances were just that! Donna was very thorough during my entire case. She was able to address my unique case but also do so with legal basis even though the courts may not always allow for such situations. Donna was very thorough each step of the way and was certain to not leave any stone un-turned. One thing I really liked about Donna was her fire. When situations arose, she can be more than passionate about her job and serving justice to those who deserve it. I also want Donna’s clients to know that she was very timely with me in her communications with me. Whether by email or phone, she was always just a call or a message away. When being in a legal situation, I know from previous experience, being able to reach your attorney means everything. I am more than pleased with the results that I recieved from Donna Wagner, and I assure you my case turned out better than I had imagined and even for a fair price. Donna Wagner rocks!
I know for certain that If I am needing an attorney again in the future, I will be using Donna Wagner. There are so many great things to say about Donna. However, I believe what I appreciated most was how Donna handles special situations, and I assure you, my circumstances were just that! Donna was very thorough during my entire case. She was able to address my unique case but also do so with legal basis even though the courts may not always allow for such situations. Donna was very thorough each step of the way and was certain to not leave any stone un-turned. One thing I really liked about Donna was her fire. When situations arose, she can be more than passionate about her job and serving justice to those who deserve it. I also want Donna’s clients to know that she was very timely with me in her communications with me. Whether by email or phone, she was always just a call or a message away. When being in a legal situation, I know from previous experience, being able to reach your attorney means everything. I am more than pleased with the results that I recieved from Donna Wagner, and I assure you my case turned out better than I had imagined and even for a fair price. Donna Wagner rocks!
I obtained Mrs. Donna Wagner’s services in 2012 to help with my charge of driving under the influence. I first called several other attorneys, but none of them were willing to listen to my case. Mrs. Wagner not only took the time to listen but went out of her way to be sensitive to my issues, respond quickly to my questions, and help me understand this unfamiliar process. It was clear to me from the beginning that she knew the system well and was very thorough in her exploration into my case. With her experience and knowledge of the Mt. Juiliet court system, combined with her adept use of the evidence at hand, she was able to get my charges significantly reduced. I could not be more happy with my choice of attorney. I am certain that I would not have had such a successful outcome without her guidance and skill.
