PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. -Crews have been working in Paradise Valley to install the first fixed license plate readers on traffic lights in the city.
The cameras will run the license plate of every car passing through against a hotlist database.
If the car is stolen, or if the vehicle is the subject of an Amber Alert police will be notified.
Paradise Valley Police say it's to cut down crime, others claim it's an invasion of privacy.
FOX 10 saw the cameras being installed and initially Paradise Valley Police were going to do an on-camera interview about the license plate readers, but hours before our interview they cancelled saying they did not want to do any interviews until all the license plate readers were in place and operational. Crews installed the first camera on Wednesday.
Crews installed that reader atop a Paradise Valley traffic light at McDonald and Tatum. It's the first of 11 cameras that will scan license plates of everyone driving to and through the city.
"I totally think it's a great idea... it just keeps everyone in check, and if you don't have anything to worry about, then you don't have anything to worry about," said Kathy Merceri.
Paradise Valley Police say the readers pull information from a Department of Public Safty hotlist that includes cars that are stolen, associated with fugitives, or are the subject of amber or silver alerts.
If a license plate matches, the dispatch center is notified, and the closest patrol car can respond.
"I mean I think it's good for stolen cars and all that, I just think technology is getting crazy now a days, it's kind of scary what people can do now," said one hiker.
"You're not just pulling information on stolen cars, you're pulling information on everyone's car and that is kind of intimidating," said another woman.
Police say the system does retain information, but they could not say for how long.
"Which is pretty telling in of itself, these things in our opinion should not be put in place at all... but they should never be put into place without clear guidelines and retention policies, whether it's this type of thing, body cameras or whatever without that, it demonstrates a disregard for people's privacy and rights," said attorney Dan Pochoda.
One woman now has a renewed hope that she may be reunited with her stolen car. "Maybe it will catch and return my car one of these days, it's been two years now," said Merceri.
On top of the fixed license plate readers, all Paradise Valley Police cars will have the readers on them. The first camera FOX 10 saw being installed Wednesday will likely be operational on Thursday, but they are still testing them and working on a policy.
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I'm the Ginger Rogers of spelling...that means I'm smat.
Lesson learned in February: I don't have to keep up, I just have to keep moving!
I think this is terrifying. The whole attitude of it being ok if you aren't doing anything wrong simply horrifies me. I don't want the government all up in my business like this. Does it remind anyone else of the NSA?
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I'm the Ginger Rogers of spelling...that means I'm smat.
Lesson learned in February: I don't have to keep up, I just have to keep moving!
Haven't you ever watched Parking Wars? They've been doing that here in Philly by driving around for several years. Not at traffic lights yet but I can see it happening. I'm sure it's in more places than that.
Do you travel thru airports or major train stations? Do you shop where there are cameras? Hell, many businesses have cameras that watch you drive by or park in their lots.
We put our children's fingerprints into a federal database too. For protective reasons.
Big Brother has been watching for years. And we want to feel secure in public yet want our privacy. Can't quite have both. It's like being on the internet. No matter how secure you think you are, someone is watching and recording what you are doing.
If it can track down criminals faster or find an amber alert child, it would be worth it.
But everyone has a NIMBY attitude, Not In My BackYard.
ETA They put up cameras in a high crime/drug neighborhood not far from here. Good, maybe now that neighborhood can get cleaned up. The people who live there were fearful for their lives. Children could not play outside. This is the suburbs, not inner city. Not even 5 miles from my house. I'm glad the township is targeting the drug dealers. Other towns are planning similar for their crime areas.
-- Edited by jlbear71 on Thursday 19th of February 2015 10:13:14 PM
It's one thing for there to be no privacy in public, and that means that another citizen can take your picture or listen to you. It's a completely different scenario when it's Big Brother doing the watching and listening. This, while maybe well intentioned, is a frightening step in the wrong direction.
If I had started this thread it would be a big joke. Glad VoR Started it.
And yes. The slippery slope just became more slanted and a whole lot more slippery.
It isn't going to stop here.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I think this is terrifying. The whole attitude of it being ok if you aren't doing anything wrong simply horrifies me. I don't want the government all up in my business like this. Does it remind anyone else of the NSA?
I agree but we have Digital/electronic Big Brother. The govt has the unprecedented ability now to monitor and follow every American everywhere they go, every communication, etc. We have the Illusion of privacy via texting, email, phone, etc. But, every keystroke, every text, ever voice recording is now available to be pulled and reviewed. Is the govt benevolent? Maybe it is NOW, but we don't know what the future holds. And, that kind of power in the wrong hands is absolutely terrifying.
Like this message board and other message boards. It feels very safe. But, yet everything you are posting can be traced back to you. Ever text you send you send your kid. Every time you are anywhere you are being filmed and recorded. Other than whispering to in your own home, there isn't much that is private anymore.
