Supervisor Raises Concerns Over License Plate Reader Cameras, Pushes for Town Ban

By JOSHUA YOUNGQUIST
ONEONTA

A growing debate over automated license plate reader cameras has reached the Town of Oneonta, where Town Supervisor Will Rivera says residents deserve greater transparency and a public discussion before the technology is used within the community.

Rivera said the Town Board never approved the cameras and that no public vote or discussion was held before they appeared in the area.

“The Town Board did not approve these cameras,” Rivera said. “They were never brought to us for a vote or a public discussion.”

The technology at the center of the discussion is commonly referred to as an automated license plate reader, or ALPR. One of the most widely known manufacturers is Atlanta-based Flock Safety, whose camera systems are used by law enforcement agencies, municipalities and private businesses across the country.

While supporters argue that the cameras help solve crimes and locate stolen vehicles, critics say the systems collect far more information than many people realize.

According to Rivera, the concern goes beyond simply taking a photograph of a license plate.

“This isn’t just a camera taking a picture of a license plate,” Rivera said. “It can record a vehicle, where it was and when it was there.”

Modern ALPR systems are capable of identifying and cataloging details such as a vehicle’s make, model, color and body style. Those observations are stored and can be searched later. When collected over time and across large networks of cameras, that information can create a detailed record of a vehicle’s movements.

“When enough of those sightings are collected, you can start to build a searchable picture within a mass network of where a vehicle has been,” Rivera said.

Civil liberties organizations have raised similar concerns nationwide. Rivera pointed specifically to concerns previously voiced by the New York Civil Liberties Union regarding the technology’s use in the Oneonta area.

“The NYCLU warned that this kind of information can reveal people’s routines and associations,” Rivera said. “That’s a lot more than just reading a license plate.”

For Rivera, and many others, the issue is fundamentally about privacy and consent.

“You’re not asked. You don’t opt in. You don’t sign up. You just drive by,” he said.

Rivera noted that most residents are simply carrying out everyday activities.

“Most people are just living their lives,” he said. “They’re going to work, picking up their kids, seeing family, going to the doctor, getting something to eat and going home. I don’t think all of those normal movements should quietly become searchable information just because the technology makes it possible.”

Questions about data security are also fueling opposition. Privacy advocates have warned that large databases containing location information could become targets for misuse if accessed by unauthorized individuals.

“And we have to think about what happens when that information gets into the wrong hands,” Rivera said. “Once someone knows where you go, where you work, where your family goes or the places you regularly visit, that information can cause real harm.”

Drawing on his professional experience, Rivera said he has seen how personal information can be weaponized to harm vulnerable individuals.

“I’ve spent too much of my career helping people after the harm was already done,” he said. “I’ve seen how technology can turn information about someone’s life into a tool for control, stalking or abuse. If we have an opportunity to reduce that risk before someone gets hurt, I’m not going to sit back and wait.”

Rivera said town officials are now exploring banning the technology within the Town of Oneonta.

“I don’t want us waiting for somebody to get hurt before we decide this went too far,” Rivera said. “That’s why our board intends to ban this technology in the town.”

The discussion comes amid a broader national debate over the rapid expansion of license plate reader networks. Supporters cite numerous criminal investigations in which camera data has helped identify suspects or recover stolen property. Opponents argue that the systems collect information on large numbers of law-abiding citizens who are not suspected of any crime.

Locally, residents have reported the presence of cameras near commercial properties. Rivera said he personally observed one near the Lowe’s area in Oneonta. He has also been informed of a possible camera near Harbor Freight, though he said he has not personally confirmed that location.

As discussion continues, Rivera believes the issue ultimately comes down to a basic principle.

“People should be free to go about their lives without being tracked by default,” he said.

The future of license plate reader technology in the Town of Oneonta is expected to be a topic of continued public discussion as town officials weigh privacy concerns against potential public safety benefits.