Law enforcement use network of license plate scanners across the RGV

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas ( ValleyCentral ) — Scanners across the Rio Grande Valley have been tracking drivers. Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) have been strategically placed across the RGV and are mounted onto some police cars.

The ALPR program is part of a partnership with municipal, county, and state law enforcement agencies.

“Every unit in our fleet has an ALPR that is attached to their dashcam, that’s attached to their laptop,” said Cameron County Sheriff Eric Garza.

The readers constantly scan license plates to see if they’re in the DPS database. Sheriff Garza said they’re used to detect stolen vehicles and Amber Alerts.

“There are cameras in our units and there are also cameras that are around the county. What they do is, they pick up the license plate from the vehicle and it verifies that plate with the DPS website. If it matches, then it tells us that it matches,” Garza said.

The sheriff said deputies verify the make and model of cars and confirm the database information is still valid before beginning their investigation. The sheriff’s office has used the scanners for the last two years. The program was recently expanded to place scanners in different areas in the county.

“It’s real-time data. So if it happens right now, and somebody’s driving it around and it picks it up, it’ll pick it up. It all depends on when it’s entered into the DPS website that we’ll be able to access that data”, Garza said.

He added there are safeguards in place to protect and ensure the system is used appropriately.

“I’ll tell you, this will be used wrongly,” said attorney Ricardo Barrera with the Barrera Law Firm in Harlingen. “There is no doubt in my mind. Having experience in 15 years in criminal defense, it will happen.”

Barrera said he believes law enforcement is relying heavily on automated systems to provide investigative information. He believes it’s important officers aren’t replaced by software and technology advancements. There should always be a person to be held accountable for their actions and what policies they’re following.

Speaking about the expanding use of high-tech in law enforcement, Barrera said, “It’s likely that that same trend could continue. When it comes to something this important, when it comes to the liberty interests and privacy of people, I think we can’t leave it up to the software. We can’t leave it up to the artificial intelligence.”

Barrera said all the case law on the subject says that mass surveillance of individuals must have judicial authority.

Sheriff Garza said scanned license plate information is not saved, and a record is created any time a deputy wants to get information about a particular plate or vehicle. He stressed that information already has to be in the DPS database.

Barrera said he has no problem with law enforcement using the technology available. At the end of the day, there should always be someone who can explain to a court what they did and why they did it.

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