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Automatic license plate recognition drawing criticism

Via WCSH (January 18, 2010):

Some Maine privacy advocates are criticizing a new surveillance system used by South Portland police that automatically reads license plates.

The Portland Press Herald says South Portland is apparently Maine’s first community to use automated license plate recognition to target traffic scofflaws, people wanted on warrants and other offenders.

Cameras on a cruiser takes pictures of license plans and runs the numbers through the database of the National Crime Information Center.

South Portland police Lt. Frank Clark says the technology can be used to detect stolen vehicles and help find missing people.

Shenna Bellows of the Maine Civil Liberties Union says the surveillance system undermines the fundamental right to be left alone.

Tags: Local news, Police state by Editor
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Bill addresses ATVs on Maine private land

Via WCSH (January 19, 2010):

All-terrain vehicle use on private land is on the agenda in a Maine legislative committee this week.

On Tuesday, the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee takes up a bill that would allow wardens to stop ATVs operated on privately owned property without a reasonable and articulable suspicion to believe a violation of the law has occurred.

That’s a change from the present law, which says a law enforcement officer must have a reasonable suspicion of a violation whether the ATV is on public or private land.

Rep. Ralph Sarty, a Denmark Republican, says he wants to change the law because that extra measure of enforcement is needed to foster good relations between private landowners and ATV users.

Some important information regarding the subject can be found in 2 recent Maine Supreme Court rulings. State v McKeen, and State v Bromiley.

Tags: Law, Police state, State news by Editor
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