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TX: Houston area police department scans license plates for registrants.
This is a concerning story out of Texas. The Memorial Villages Police Department, like many other municipalities, has installed license plate scanners to flag vehicles that travel through their city. Instead of just using the scanners to search for active warrants, stolen vehicles or amber alerts, they use it to flag registrant’s vehicles.
According to this article, Agencies choose which criminal-offense categories trigger a hit.
In addition to stolen vehicles and missing persons, the Memorial Villages Police Department is alerted each time a registered sex offender drives past their cameras. “For the month of December, I had five sex offenders come through the Villages,” Police Chief Schultz said. Because the chief said there are no registered sex offenders living in the villages – he took a closer look. “I was getting hits, but only on Sundays,” he said. “It was someone coming here to go to church.”
It’s pretty sad that this status automatically puts us on a “suspect list” that requires investigation.
Per NAPO…..
“License plate readers may be used by law enforcement agencies only to investigate hits and in other circumstances in which law enforcement agents reasonably believe that the plate data are relevant to an ongoing criminal investigation”
SO, Then, Therefore, Persons Forced To Register Cannot Be Targeted-
Truth
Also as a former law enforcement officer, I know it is hard to challenge the readers and here is why. It is considered to just be a fast way than the old way of officers running plates. However there have been some challenges to even that when people in poor communities were pulled over just for being a certain race according to the challengers.
The data seemed to back that up, however the lawyers for police departments turn around and use the defense that yes there is in fact more crime in low income areas. When I worked in law enforcement, it was common practice when you saw occupants of a car you found of “interest” to run the plates to look for expired tags, warrants, stolen plates (Or plates that do not match the car) etc.
Now the plate readers are much faster and can automatically scan plates super fast and beeps when they get a hit. Now days, even though I worked in law enforcement, if I see a patrol car behind me, I turn into a business and pretend I am going there until they drive past. Just do not need the hassle.
CherokeeJ….
Thanks For Your Insights and Others That You Have Provided!
How Much More Draconian Will Our World Become?
The Term ‘Interest’ That You Use, is That Not A Generality?
-So, Therefore. ‘They’ Can Get Away With Anything?
Correct?…And What About ‘Their’ Indemnification Insurance and Qualified Immunity Status?…Hummm?!?!?
Again, Thanks For Your Perspective On Things…Keeps Us Thinking!
Truth
Interest as in Stereotyping “Hey those guys look like thugs let’s pull them over and see what they are up to”. Everyone is guilty until proven innocent according to some. They just throw the ” innocent until proven guilty” out the window.
And believe me, there are many good cops but there are some that would lie on their on Mother’s rather than admit they were wrong or made a mistake. Love when certain cops let you go with a warning but then add “And don’t let me see you around here again”.
CherokeeJ…
During Some of My Compliance Checks-All The Good Ones, No Longer Show Up on My Door Step-They Know Me and Know My Innocence-They Do Not Even Discuss Such-Just Sports and Etc When I See Them In Public….
But The Bad Ones—OH BOY!…They Call You A “Sex Offender, Do You KNOW WHO YOU ARE”…That is What They Said To Me on 02-22-2022 During Another Compliance and My Response to Them was, “With All Due Respect, You Are Using The Term in The Present Tense, I Am Not Sex Offending.”; Their Response was, “Shut and Sign This Paper Or I can Arrest You”…I walked Away…I was Not Arrested….They Seemed Frustrated!
Truth
I wonder how many officers volunteer for the compliance checks and how many are assigned to it? There wasn’t such a thing when I worked as a L.E.O but if there had been, I would have resigned if they tried to put me on that detail.
Some larger departments now have a homeless task force as well, and many of the homeless get some of that same disrespect that we encounter. To be honest, I mean yeah I wouldn’t want a homeless camp popping up right next to our house so I guess I am just as guilty as those who shun us?
It’s too bad that idiots are allowed to become LEO’s. It gives a bad name to those who are really trying to do their job and not be judge and jury in the process.
TruthandSience
I agree. Several years ago in Kansas City they tried putting up cameras everywhere and then mailing out tickets for traffic violations. It was challenged in court and the court deemed it unconstitutional. So they had to throw out all the tickets. The City abandoned the idea . Because it cost them a lot of money with no return benefits to the City.
Some intersections have red light cameras and photo enforced cameras especially in construction zones. At least they give you a warning, however if your 30 mph over the speed limit you better hope the camera suv isn’t there otherwise a ticket for you. $40 out of your pocket and doesn’t influence your insurance.
Brandon
Not the same here . Sure there are still cameras but it was challenged in the courts and since they still have no proof who was driving the vehicle they cannot ticket it.
The police In my California city also use these ALPRs. I submitted a records request and they sent me six months worth of records on my vehicle. Soooo boring.
Every single time/date-stamped pic of my plate (and car) was of it either in my driveway or parked on the street immediately adjacent to my property.
No pics of it in a mall parking lot, at a grocery store, at a gas station, etc.
Clearly, I need to get out more often!
In denying cert to NY State:
“Despite the empirical evidence, legislatures & agencies are often not receptive to the plight of people convicted of sex offenses & their struggles… the Constitution protects all people, & it prohibits the deprivation of liberty based solely on speculation & fear.”
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-7846_j5fl.pdf
I don’t think this is as much about registrants in church as it is registrants in their city, period. A quick google search shows some pretty impressive neighborhoods in the area, probably full of “good people” who want to keep out the “riff-Raff”.
I think that this is just another one of those “registrant free” villages who basically want to keep it that way, or a recycled version of the sundown town. Walls and gates are next, I’m sure.
I Resemble that remark.
I remember when Volusia county had those put in, a few years ago I guess. Chitwood was very careful about saying it wouldn’t affect anyone and the information is deleted. Come on… What is worse is now I go back to visit family once it twice a year and have out of state plates. This is very concerning for me.
We should encourage him to focus on real issues, not law-abiding citizens attending church!
Administrative – Chief of Police Raymond Schultz, RSchultz@mvpdtx.org (713) 365-3705
Raymond Shultz leftthe Abuquerque PD in as he oversaw a department that were investigated muliple times for excessive use of force involving tasers, and he still does promotional work for a taser company.
See:
https://www.koat.com/article/former-albuquerque-police-chief-hired-as-assistant-chief-in-texas/5062035#