Neighborhood License Plate Readers

[def90]

The issue is that the police still won't do anything.. so an HOA says an unknown car has entered our property, police respond by hanging up. I install CCTV and security systems, the truth is that unless you know specifically who the perp is and have evidence they will not respond, you will have to file an online police report. A license plate number means nothing when car theft is at all time highs.

To me this sounds like an entreprising business has sold the HOA on spending a lot of money for a system that isn't going to do anything for them in the long run.

[def90]

Looking again at the link in the OP there are no specs listed for the cameras that I could find. Unless they are 4k cams and have built in license plate recognition software you aren't going to see shit. Judging by the photos of the cameras those are low cost Chinese shit. Basically Ring cameras on a pole.

[Eric P]

Yep. Complete waste of cash being sent to a "scamming" company fleecing an HOA on the promise of improved security and safety. Worst part is that residents will like go for because they feel safer, and in today's sheepish society, feeling matter more than reality.

[FoxtArt]

Many of these systems deal with data brokers - places that have massive, national databases and sell access to people like skip tracers, private investigators, bounty hunters, law enforcement (state and federal) etc. And many times, nosey neighbors do have data access.

Part of why they are marketed heavily to large HOAs has little to do with securing the neighborhood. It's a very marketable feature to be able to advertise to every Bob, Dick and Tom that they can run a search for the low low price of (just the tip) and find everywhere someone has been in the last year and how often. Looks like that car visited for thanksgiving last year, lets stake it out in November this year, and break the door down when turkey is on the table...

[TheGrey]

Many of these systems deal with data brokers - places that have massive, national databases and sell access to people like skip tracers, private investigators, bounty hunters, law enforcement (state and federal) etc. And many times, nosey neighbors do have data access.

Part of why they are marketed heavily to large HOAs has little to do with securing the neighborhood. It's a very marketable feature to be able to advertise to every Bob, Dick and Tom that they can run a search for the low low price of (just the tip) and find everywhere someone has been in the last year and how often. Looks like that car visited for thanksgiving last year, lets stake it out in November this year, and break the door down when turkey is on the table...

Damn skippy the databases sell that info, and it's a booming business. To answer the question of how long they keep it: I've seen plates over a year old on these databases. These type of cameras are all over: opting out of one doesn't mean another down the street won't catch you when you park at King Soopers or are merging onto the highway.

[kidicarus13]

I located the 3-page "policy" and pulled some information from it...

* purpose-built/programmed to only be vehicle identification tools for Law Enforcement -during specific, targeted searches.

* allow Law Enforcement the opportunity to match reported nefarious and criminal activities, in the neighborhood, with vehicles entering and exiting the neighborhood, at incident-related-targeted times. The Data will also allow Law Enforcement to search for known stolen vehicles, which could enter the neighborhood, to possibly be used for nefarious and criminal activities

* only capture vehicle rear ends, as triggered by a vehicle present. If anything passes by the cameras, the cameras will capture that image, However, unless Law Enforcement is interested in that exact point in time, that image will never be accessed, and no additional Data will be generated from the image.

* only to record the license plates of vehicles entering and exiting the community in order to assist Law Enforcement in investigating a reported crime.

* data is retained for 30 days


With this information along with the the consensus of the group thus far, I believe I will be opting out.