HARRISBURG – Legislation will be coming from Sen. Doug Mastriano of Adams & Franklin Counties to restrict the use of automatic license plate readers, including Flock systems, in PA. While there are legitimate purposes in which the technology can help law enforcement, the state should prohibit the routine, suspicion-less collection and retention of motorists’ movements through such surveillance. The proposal would draw a line between targeted law enforcement and mass surveillance. Law enforcement with a legitimate reason to look for a particular vehicle should have the tools to do the job. What government should not have is the ability to record the movements of millions of innocent Pennsylvanians simply because someone might want to search and use those records. Mastriano added. “Investigate suspects. Pursue criminals. Protect the public. But do not place every Pennsylvanian under continuous surveillance simply because the technology exists to do it.”
SEN. DOUG MASTRIANO