County Approves License Plate Reading Cameras

    The Lake County Commission has approved a proposal forwarded by Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell that will see 108 automated license plate reader cameras placed around Lake County. The cameras will read license plates from vehicles traveling through intersections throughout the county, and transmit them to a database, with the results showing if vehicles that are being searched for by local, state, or federal authorities are traveling through the county.
    The approval came during last week's meeting of the county commission, with only member Josh Blake dissenting. Blake voiced a variety of concerns about the program, which if abused could lead to regular citizens being tracked as they travel the county.
    "My concerns primarily have to do with the potential for abuse," Blake said, citing several such cases throughout the country where data gathered by cameras was used, or believed to be used, inappropriately.
    Currently, road deputies are able to access LPR databases from their vehicles, and are known to ‘run tags’ from their vehicles. Grinnell said such a search led to an arrest in a recent shooting at a gaming location in Dona Vista.
    Noting that it looked like the commission was set to approve the fixed cameras, Blake called for a more stringent auditing program than the required once every three years under current law.
    “If we are going to approve this network at taxpayer expense, at least have local audits.. they at least need to be annual.”
    The data generated from the cameras can be shared with as few or many agencies as the sheriff's office decides, and Blake said that could lead to the tracking of people for any number of reasons, including simple political motives.
    "We have all seen what has happened with the politicization of certain federal agencies."
    The idea of commission oversight via audit was positively received by member Leslie Campione.
    “I do like the idea to be able to ask for (an audit).”
    Grinnell, while not specifically agreeing to any audit protocol beyond what is already in place, said he would be happy to work with the commission on appropriate oversight, stating he looks at the data monthly.
    However, it was eventually agreed to not place specific audit requirements in the ordinance’s approval, rather the commission, or future commissions, could simply ask for an audit when they deem it necessary and if the sheriff, or a future sheriff, doesn’t agree, the county could simply revoke the ordinance, which would require the removal of the cameras.