By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
The FBI planned to invest in license-plate readers that are becoming more popular among local and state law enforcement but didn’t follow through with a purchase order after lawyers expressed concerns about the technology invading people’s privacy, the Associated Press reports.
The AP received records that indicate the FBI has been interested in using the technology for about a decade to store data from license plates.
The technology allows law enforcement to track suspicious vehicles and search for criminals.
The ACLU is concerned with the ability of law enforcement to identify innocent motorists.
The FBI crrently only uses license plate readers on rare occasions, said FBI spokesman Chris Allen.
“They may only be deployed in support of an investigation and only if there’s a reasonable belief that they will aid that investigation,” Allen said.
