It's not just auto lenders and police who track plates: The Drug Enforcement Administration has collected 343 million records since 2008.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the DEA's National License Plate Recognition program has at least 100 license plate readers deployed by the agency in states such as California, New Jersey and Georgia, with local, state and other federal law enforcement agencies contributing information to the DEA's database. One collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol brought in 793.5 million license plate numbers at land border crossings between May 2009 and May 2013, the latter agency sharing its information "at regular intervals" with the former, as well as with anyone with a vested interest, such as prosecutors and local law enforcement.
The program, which currently retains "non-hit" data for six months, is meant to target roadways "commonly used for contraband transport," a statement the ACLU finds unclear, since every roadway could be used for said transport. The group goes further, stating that the DEA may be using this belief "to target people of color," though the heavily redacted information obtained by its FOIA request leaves such answers in doubt.
Other key findings include the program's primary goal of asset forfeiture, and the usage of plate data to determine travel patterns. The ACLU believes more information is needed about the program regarding the civil liberties of all who travel in the United States and pass through the country's borders, and is seeking transparency from the DEA to answer questions about where the agency receives its data, how it collects the data, whether or not it uses private databases to conduct operations, and whether or not the program has actually done its job in ensuring the safety of the American populace.
The post ACLU: Drug Enforcement Administration Tracking Plates Since 2008 appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
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