Los Angeles is taking a closer look at how far surveillance should go in the name of safety. The latest debate isn’t about drones or facial recognition, it’s about the small, high-tech cameras quietly watching cars on nearly every corner of the county.
As Call Matters reports, county leaders have just voted to rein in how the Sheriff’s Department collects and shares license plate data. While the L.A. Sheriff’s Department wasn’t among them, the report sparked public concern about who really sees the information gathered on local roads.
The new policy asks the department to delete plate data after 60 days unless it’s tied to an active criminal case, to train deputies on privacy rules every year, and to ensure the information isn’t used for immigration enforcement. The Sheriff’s Department said it “welcomes” the motion and plans to review its current practices.
This local push mirrors a statewide bill (SB 274), that aimed to set similar limits on data sharing and retention. Though the law has been vetoed, privacy advocates argue that endless data storage makes Californians more vulnerable.