"When appropriate guardrails are in place, License Plate Reader (LPR) technology does not violate Fourth Amendment rights and is a valuable tool for making our communities safer."  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF) released a new primer analyzing the legal basis behind law enforcement’s use of license plate recognition (LPR) technology.

Known for their accuracy, swift crime-solving capabilities and crime-deterring effectiveness, LPRs have occasionally come under misplaced critique from privacy activists. CFIF’s new primer analyzes applicable legal precedent to demonstrate that LPRs “accord with longstanding principles of individual privacy protection under our Constitution and judicial precedent, and the real-world data and police testimonials make its value obvious.”

Timothy Lee, CFIF’s Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs and author of the paper, reiterated the need for consumers and lawmakers to rely upon relevant case law to understand the constitutionality of LPR technology instead of inapplicable caselaw and imaginary fears about how the technology is used. 

“Contrary to popular belief, this technology is not a 24/7 surveillance device. It takes very targeted captures of license plate information and does not track your everyday movements and activities," writes Lee, who prior to joining CFIF was an attorney in private practice in the Los Angeles, California and Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan areas. 

"Backed by a plethora of legal precedent, we can simultaneously establish and enforce strict protections to prevent abuse, ensure transparency and limit data retention. While the path forward requires a balanced approach, it is more than evident that the benefits of LPR technology should be utilized nationwide to further enhance public safety," Lee continued.

Prior to joining CFIF, Mr. Lee was an attorney in private practice in the Los Angeles, California and Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan areas. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.   

To read the full legal analysis, please click here. 

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