DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) - A new report shows that while automated license plate readers (ALPRs) can make communities safer, the data is being shared across the nation and in some cases being used to spy on drivers.

The American Civil Liberties Union worked with the University of Iowa Technology Law Clinic to put together the 63-page report called “Automated License Plate Readers in Iowa: Review and Recommendations.”

The clinic was able to get information from 43 agencies across Iowa. Five did not respond to the request before the report was released. They include police departments in Des Moines, Clinton, Fayette, Fremont and Mills. The goal was to find out how many ALPRs are deployed, who pays for them, how data is stored and shared, and whether safeguards exist.

The report shows ALPR

See Full Page