ALPR Data in Minnesota: Round Three

Last week the Minneapolis Star Tribune published a follow up story to several it had previously run on Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology use by Twin Cities law enforcement. At the heart of this new article is a report that the Minneapolis Police Department had been forced to review and reconsider its policies after the earlier columns showed how the general public could use department ALPR data to create a location track for any license plate (individual) submitted. The series of articles has also prompted calls for legislation that will create a uniform statewide policy on ALPR data. Use the link below for the latest article:

Cops Move to Protect License Plate Data (Star Tribune, November 4, 2012)

Comment: The use of geo-tagged data is only going to increase in the years ahead because of the very nature of the Geospatial Revolution. Everything is somewhere, and the technical capability now exists to leverage that reality.  Consequently, its critical that the Emergency Services Sector community and law makers truly understand the potential uses of this type of data, both good and bad. Without that level of engagement by these individuals, our society is going to be stuck in a constant cycle of "reactive behavior" as the revolution in geo-technology continues its explosive growth.      

Lead picture: PIPS Technology