PROVIDENCE – Gov. Dan McKee has called for a statewide pause on the installation and activation of any new automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras and ordered a comprehensive 60-day review aimed at establishing uniform statewide standards governing the use of the technology and the data it collects.
The governor is also urging Rhode Island cities and towns to pause the installation of any new ALPR cameras during the review period.
“Automated license plate readers can be an important tool for law enforcement to solve crimes, recover stolen vehicles, and locate dangerous or missing individuals, but Rhode Islanders also have legitimate questions about privacy, transparency, and how this information is collected, stored, and shared,” said McKee in a release.
“Public safety and personal privacy are not mutually exclusive. Rhode Island needs clear and consistent rules of the road for this technology,” he added. “We are taking action now to pause further expansion, examine how these systems are being used across the state, and put strong, uniform safeguards in place to protect both public safety and personal privacy.”
McKee is directing Colonel Darnell Weaver and the Department of Public Safety, in consultation with the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association, the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, and other appropriate stakeholders, to conduct a comprehensive review of ALPR technology and provide recommendations within 60 days for uniform statewide standards and controls governing the use of ALPR cameras and the data they produce.
Here are links to The Local Insider’s recent coverage on the cameras from Flock Safety.
During the review, the Rhode Island State Police will not install or activate additional ALPR cameras. Existing State Police ALPR cameras may continue to operate subject to current Rhode Island State Police policies and safeguards during the pendency of the review.
The governor will work with lawmakers when they are back in session to advance legislation that codifies these protections and establishes clear, consistent standards for ALPR use statewide.
