NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tonight, Metro Council will vote on whether to approve the full implementation of the License Plate Reader program in Nashville. There's been a lot of talk about this program and what it could mean for drivers across the city.
If the program is approved, then drivers who pass these readers will automatically have pictures taken of their license plate and that information will go into sharing systems. Some people agree with the measure while others feel like it's an invasion of privacy.
Recently Metro Police held a mandatory pilot program of the readers for six months. In that time span, police say it helped them arrest 112 people, and recover 87 stolen vehicles. Police chief John Drake says the LPRs are not a privacy issue because the cameras don't capture the driver of the vehicle, only the tag.
The tag data is deleted in ten days if no crime is committed.
"We in this police department want to use them in investigations of felony crimes, including gun violence, homicide, and sexual assault. LPR data not associated with a felony crime or missing person is deleted from the system within ten days," said Chief Drake.
Opponents of the program also worry that it targets communities of color. Chief Drake assures drivers that this is only here to help, while some say this could hurt more than it helps.
"Sadly, some of the state republican leadership has been working hard to march us toward a police state for quite some time, and this is just another step," said Metro Councilmember Dave Rosenberg.
Last week Republican House Majority Leader William Lamberth said if any city doesn't approve this program, what he calls lifesaving technology, state lawmakers could propose legislation to mandate them by taking the decision away from Metro Council. If that happens, it could signal yet another battle between Nashville and the state.
If the Metro Council defers the decision tonight, it'll be up to the newly elected council to decide what to do when they're sworn in. That would push the decision back for months.
