Police use AI plate readers to stop drivers over travel patterns
Original title: Police Are Using AI to Pull over Drivers for 'Suspicious' Behavior
The ACLU cites an FBI stop, CBP questioning, and a Texas jury verdict over AI-flagged plates.
The ACLU said US agencies use automated license plate readers and AI tools to stop drivers for travel patterns even when they are not suspected of a specific crime. A northern Virginia driver said an FBI agent pulled her over after her plate was flagged and showed a heat map of her trip. Flock Safety and Axon sell the systems; some agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department, have suspended or ended Flock contracts. A federal jury in Texas sided with a man who sued over a stop tied to AI-powered readers.
Unconfirmed: Accounts of stops come from the ACLU, lawsuits, and news reports; Flock has not commented.
- A YouGov survey found 46% opposed local police use and 38% supported it.
- The Markup reported CBP officers asked a California woman about casino visits.
- WIRED reported Flock built a tool that tracks vehicles by movement patterns.
- Flock did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
From the original article
3 min read at gizmodo.com
Automated license plate readers (ALPRs) aren’t just helping police investigate crimes anymore. They’re now being used to flag drivers for supposedly “suspicious” driving patterns.
By gumby · gizmodo.com
A short excerpt; the article and its images belong to the publisher. Summary, key facts and assessment above are AI-written from the article and can be wrong.