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Automated license plate readers have been part of American policing for two decades, but they have rarely sparked as much controversy as right now. Social media campaigns, new questions about data sharing and a wave of local officials pausing or canceling programs have put agencies under pressure to defend a tool many leaders see as essential. In this episode of Policing Matters, host Jim Dudley talks with Jim Burch, president and CEO of the National Policing Institute (NPI), about what the public actually thinks and what police leaders can do about it.
NPI surveyed 1,435 people, and more than half said they oppose law enforcement use of ALPRs in their community. But Burch says the number that matters isn’t the headline figure. It’s how quickly public opinion shifts depending on what the technology is used for and what safeguards come with it. He and Dudley dig into where the public draws the line, why younger residents are the most skeptical, and what one test message revealed about moving opponents toward keeping programs alive.
Tune in to discover
- Why NPI’s survey found less opposition than Burch expected, and what role social media played in the backlash
- Which uses of ALPRs the public supports most and which uses they want kept off the table
- How a simple message about safeguards moved opponents toward keeping programs alive
- What data retention periods the public considers reasonable, and why retention is such a trust issue
- Why engaging younger residents before a technology launches may matter more than explaining it afterward
- The three steps Burch recommends before an agency puts another ALPR camera on the street
About our sponsor
This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is sponsored by OfficerStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting OfficerStore.com.
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