The Rio Rancho Police have expanded their use of automated license plate readers from five to 19, sparking concerns about privacy and safety.
The cameras are provided by Flock Safety. The camera captures license plate information as vehicles pass by, giving police another way to locate stolen vehicles and help in investigations.
The police say the information provided by the camera is a photograph and the location of the hit.
The department also said that technology has helped them track vehicles connected to major crimes, including a homicide, bank robbery, and recent shootings. They also highlighted a drop in stolen-vehicle reports, from 214 in 2022 to 103 last year.
However, the expansion has also raised concerns about privacy, including who can access the system and what safeguards prevent abuse.
District 3 councilor Bob Tyler answered the concern. They will prosecute and terminate anyone caught using the information other than for official use.
Under the city’s agreement with Flock Safety, police assured the public that the data collected by the cameras belongs to the department, not the company.
They said all gathered information will be deleted immediately after 30 days.
However, Ron, a concerned resident, doesn’t believe in what the police and the district councilor said.
To him, cameras invade privacy, and officials didn’t ask the leaders and constituents; they just came out and said this.
Once again, the department said it will follow the proper guidelines under Senate Bill 40, which establishes statewide rules for how automated license plate readers can collect, store, and share data.
