Lawmakers considering Flock camera regulations
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Indiana lawmakers are expected to consider regulations for the use of automatic license plate readers, including Flock cameras, in the upcoming legislative session.
Why it matters: Five Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers have been accused of using the cameras for personal reasons, including to track romantic partners and spouses.
The big picture: More than two dozen states have already passed laws that address the use of the cameras, commonly known as ALPRs, or the retention of data collected by them, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
- Many statutes authorize or restrict when and with whom ALPR data can be shared.
- At least 10 states have prohibited the sale of information collected by ALPR systems.
- Others have put in place audit requirements or another oversight mechanism, and at least 19 states have set data retention requirements.
Zoom in: Eyes Off Indiana, a nonpartisan nonprofit, is promoting such guardrails for Hoosier agencies.
- The group has called for captured license plate data to be deleted after a week and for rules that prohibit data being sold, licensed or traded to data brokers or anyone else.
- Data should be shared only with other law enforcement agencies, they say, for real cases.
- It says every search should be logged and kept for two years.
- The group is calling for regular audits and a public portal that allows individuals to see how the ALPR system is being used.
State of play: IMPD has already adopted a new ALPR use policy, which users had to sign to maintain access to the system, and a new daily auditing process to identify potential misuse more quickly.
- The department also now requires every search to be tied to a case or Computer Aided Dispatch number. In the past, that was optional.
- IMPD chief Tanya Terry said the department has talked with lawmakers about introducing ALPR use legislation.
What's next: Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie), chair of the House Roads and Transportation Committee, has said he's drafting legislation to regulate how law enforcement uses the technology and monitors for abuse.
- The legislative session starts in January.