The Valparaiso Board of Works and Safety unanimously approved an amendment to the police department’s automatic license plate reader policy Friday morning.
The policy was expanded from three-and-a-half to five-and-a-half pages and went from two categories to six. The amended policy covers: manual and historical searches, authorized users and training, data access and retention, audit and accountability, and misuse.
The amendment comes as the use and misuse of license plate readers, sometimes called Flock cameras after one of the manufacturers, comes under increased scrutiny locally and nationally over privacy concerns.
The Porter County Sheriff’s Department, the Chesterton Police Department and the Michigan City Police Department have all recently announced that officers misused the cameras and the data they collect in some way.
“We want to take a proactive approach to our policy because this has been a topic of conversation lately,” said Valparaiso Police Chief Andrew McIntyre. “It’s not to be used for surveillance or monitoring people.”
Board of Works member and City Administrator Steve Poulos asked how the department audits the process. McIntyre said AI software runs the audits.
Mayor Jon Costas acknowledged the modern technology landscape. “They’re on homes. They’re on businesses. It’s a new reality,” he said of various surveillance tools.
“Policing power is a very authoritative power,” he continued. “I think these safeguards are vital. We want to have the highest standards of safeguards and professionalism.”
The city has 64 sworn officers, 40 of whom are in the patrol unit. McIntyre said the department is constantly reevaluating its policies and procedures and has not had any controversies with license plate readers despite the national conversation on their use.
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Poulos asked what safeguards are in place at the police department to deter violations of the policy. McIntyre said violations can include termination of employment and stressed that all officers with access to the software hold double certification. “I want to make sure everyone knows the seriousness of this,” he said.
Board member Katrina Spence-Smock thanked him for highlighting the training officers undergo. “I think the general public thinks it’s all willy-nilly,” she said of police access to license plate readers.
After the meeting, McIntyre explained when the readers can be employed. If there is a notification in real time, such as for a wanted individual or a stolen vehicle, for example. “But if they’re just driving behind someone, they do not have authority to just run a license plate,” he said. “You have to have a legitimate law enforcement reason for running a license plate.”
He also clarified that running a license plate through a reader system such as Flock is different than running a plate through the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. He said the BMV checks are actually more comprehensive. Flock data, per the updated policy, goes back 30 days and only gives vehicle description and location data.
“No drivers are visible, no facial recognition,” McIntyre clarified. “Just still image of the vehicle – make, model, license plate, color.”
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.