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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | July 2, 2024 03:45 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Joshua Siegel |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Permitting ALPR technology |
| According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, 70 percent of crimes committed in the United States involve a motor vehicle. A license plate number can serve as one of the most useful leads available to law enforcement when conducting criminal investigations. One of the most effective tools available to law enforcement today are Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs). These systems capture computer-readable images of license plates and vehicles, allowing officers to compare plate numbers against those of stolen cars or wanted individuals in a crime database. Across the county, law enforcement is utilizing ALPR to locate missing children, combat gun violence, and address organized theft. The City of Allentown recently implemented ALPR technology to support our local law enforcement. Feedback from law enforcement in my district has been overwhelmingly positive, with Chief Roca of the Allentown PD saying, "the ability of LPR cameras to send real-time alerts to our officers in the field when a stolen car or known wanted person from a state or national crime database is invaluable." Despite the proven benefits of ALPR technology, PennDOT rules have hindered its deployment. PennDOT only allows ALPR to be used on non-PennDOT structures and only if approval is provided from the structure’s owner. This severely limits the ability of local law enforcement to make public safety decisions in the best interest of the communities they serve. PennDOT's refusal to permit the installation of ALPR system in the rights-of-way of state-owned roads has left parts of our city vulnerable to criminal activity, depriving law enforcement of crucial tools for crime prevention and investigation. There should be a process to permit the safe and responsible use of this technology on state roads on stand-alone and existing PennDOT infrastructure. To address this issue, I am proposing legislation that would direct PennDOT to establish a permitting process for ALPR technology. Local law enforcement agencies will apply for permits to install ALPR systems in the right-of-way on state-owned roads. Crucially, permits will only be granted to local law enforcement agencies and require that ALPR is used exclusively for public safety purposes. It is imperative that we act swiftly to remove this barrier to effective law enforcement and empower our police departments to better protect our communities. I urge you to support this legislation. Together, we can take meaningful steps to bolster public safety and combat crime in our Commonwealth. |