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Prosecutor seeks five-year grant for license-plate reader surveillance; commissioners approve 2-1
Summary
Prosecuting Attorney Dan Hampton requested permission to apply for (and accept if awarded) an $81,390 law-enforcement grant over five years to procure surveillance equipment, including license-plate readers; commissioners approved the request with a 2-1 vote after privacy concerns were raised.
Prosecuting Attorney Dan Hampton asked the Kosciusko County Board of Commissioners for permission to apply for a five-year law-enforcement grant totaling $81,390 and to accept the grant if awarded. The request covers surveillance equipment, primarily license-plate readers, that Hampton said assist investigations by detecting stolen vehicles, improper registration and other vehicle-based offenses.
“This is for surveillance equipment… It\'ll be to the tune of $81,390. It goes over the course of 5 years,” Hampton said. He told commissioners the cameras retain image data for 30 days, do not record audio, and log vehicle make, model and license-plate information. He said the system has been useful in locating suspects, including in homicide investigations, and that the cameras can interface with systems in other counties and jurisdictions.
A commissioner voiced civil-liberty concerns, saying the technology felt like an overstep and that it could reveal people\'s movements. “I\'m pretty sure I\'m a no vote… I just think it\'s the overstep with surveillance,” the commissioner said. Hampton and others said the system helps detect stolen vehicles and other public-safety threats; Hampton noted that the cameras often help with property-crime and roadway-safety investigations.
After discussion, a commissioner moved to approve the application and acceptance if the grant is awarded; the motion passed 2-1. The recorded vote was announced as “2 to 1.” Commissioners noted that stored footage is wiped after 30 days and that the system does not capture audio.
Hampton said the cameras interface with systems in other counties and gave a broad description of statewide and national interconnectivity. He also emphasized the investigative value in identifying vehicles associated with suspected crimes. The board authorized the prosecutor to apply for the grant and to accept it if awarded; the county will not accept the award if the board later decides against it, Hampton noted.
No ordinance or policy governing the use, retention beyond 30 days, or inter-jurisdictional sharing was adopted at the meeting; commissioners relied on the prosecutor\'s representations and discussed privacy concerns during their vote.
