Law enforcement seeks DOT authority to place license-plate readers on state infrastructure; DOT, privacy advocates push limits

Ben Langan, chief agent with the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, told the House Transportation Committee that House Bill 1050 would let the Department of Transportation director enter into cooperative agreements with city, county, state, federal and tribal law enforcement agencies for placement of automatic license-plate readers (ALPRs) on DOT-owned infrastructure.

Langan called ALPRs an important tool for public safety and border security. "ALPRs do not collect personal identifying information," he said, describing a detection record as a plate image, a collateral image of the vehicle, GPS coordinates, and date and time. He cited case studies in which ALPR detections led investigators to suspect vehicles and contributed to drug seizures and arrests. Langan said ALPRs can speed identification of stolen vehicles and help Amber and Silver alert efforts; he noted that, in North Dakota, many silver alerts involve motor vehicles.

Langan said the Bureau of Criminal Investigation has worked with DOT and other agencies on pilot projects (fixed cameras in the Greater Bismarck–Mandan area) but that DOT legal staff concluded it lacked authority to allow law enforcement equipment on DOT property. The bill would authorize the DOT director to enter cooperative agreements…