A group opposed to automated license plate readers in Utah is urging the state transportation department to end its contract with Flock Group Inc., saying it would be a faster way to limit the use of the cameras than passing new legislation. The nonprofit Utah Civic Compact claims the contract allows the agency to terminate the agreement if it determines that the public does not support the company’s activities.
Members of the group are also lobbying state lawmakers for tighter restrictions on license plate data, but they told reporters Friday that immediate action from the Utah Department of Transportation would be more efficient. The group cited recent public outcry and instances of vandalism against the cameras as evidence of widespread disapproval.
Clark Dice, a spokesperson for the Utah Civic Compact, said at a news conference at the Capitol in Salt Lake City, “They do not trust this new technology, and they do not feel safe when they are being surveilled, cataloged, and watched.”
The Utah Department of Transportation is a third party granting permits for the cameras along state highways at the request of law enforcement agencies. A spokesperson for the department, John Gleason, said the agency’s focus is on verifying that cameras bordering state roads have the proper permits and counting them. He said the department does not determine the location, number of cameras, or how they operate.
Gleason added that the department cannot access the information obtained by the devices and does not make decisions about the purpose of the cameras. He said the state agency is required by law to permit cameras designated for official police use, but he did not know under which circumstances, if any, the department could pull a particular permit.
