Governor directs comprehensive review to establish uniform statewide standards for ALPR privacy, data use, transparency and local consultation
PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee today called for a statewide pause on the installation and activation of new automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras and ordered a comprehensive 60-day review to establish uniform statewide standards governing the technology and the data it collects. The Governor is also urging Rhode Island cities and towns to pause new ALPR installations during the review period.
“Automated license plate readers can be an important tool for law enforcement to solve crimes, recover stolen vehicles, and locate dangerous or missing individuals, but Rhode Islanders also have legitimate questions about privacy, transparency, and how this information is collected, stored, and shared,” said Governor McKee. “Public safety and personal privacy are not mutually exclusive. Rhode Island needs clear and consistent rules of the road for this technology. We are taking action now to pause further expansion, examine how these systems are being used across the state, and put strong, uniform safeguards in place to protect both public safety and personal privacy.”
Governor McKee is directing Colonel Darnell Weaver and the Department of Public Safety, in consultation with the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association, the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, and other appropriate stakeholders, to conduct a comprehensive review of ALPR technology. The review will produce recommendations within 60 days for uniform statewide standards and controls governing the use of ALPR cameras and the data they generate.
During the review, the Rhode Island State Police will not install or activate additional ALPR cameras. Existing State Police ALPR cameras may continue to operate under current Rhode Island State Police policies and safeguards while the review is underway.
The Governor will work with lawmakers when they return to session to advance legislation codifying these protections and establishing clear, consistent standards for ALPR use statewide.
