Warren council asks solicitor to draft ordinance restricting automatic license‑plate readers on private property

The Warren Town Council voted to direct the town solicitor to draft an ordinance that would require town‑council approval before advanced automatic license‑plate‑reader (ALPR) camera systems can be installed on private property.

Councilor Derek Trombley introduced the item, saying the technology has advanced rapidly and raises data‑security and civil‑liberties concerns. "Because of how controversial it has been, I think it is appropriate to have an ordinance…that if anyone would like to put [an ALPR] on private property, they have to come before the town council for our approval," he said.

The council specified the proposed rule should exclude typical doorbell or household cameras (for example, Ring‑style doorcams) and focus on the higher‑capability, professional ALPR systems. The solicitor said he would draft language but warned the legal viability is uncertain. "I couldn't find any precedents…Maybe yes, maybe no," he told the council, noting questions about how data are used and whether private installations could be treated as serving a governmental purpose.

Councilors asked staff to consider implications for retailers — including cannabis retailers — and whether an exemption or specific standards (data retention, access, or MOU requirements) should be included. The motion to direct the solicitor to draft ordinance language passed after a second, with several members voting in favor and two opposing on the record.

Next steps: The solicitor will prepare draft ordinance language for council review, and staff will likely brief the council on potential legal challenges and any recommended operational safeguards (data retention, access controls, or limitations on police access).