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Claiming it's because there's no poles to mount them on, the City of Paradise Valley, Arizona began installing license plate readers inside towering, fake cacti:
LPRs are normally mounted on light poles and traffic lights to scan for stolen cars or vehicles involved in an Amber Alert, but cities and counties have been stashing them in dozens of different covert locations, from car's fog lamps to retrofitted ladders. And in Arizona, it's not uncommon to see antennas camouflaged as a cactus, so the decision – at least from an aesthetic point-of-view – makes sense.
[...] [Town manager Kevin] Burke said the cameras are not being put in fake cactus to be secretive, but because there are no light poles in the area to put them on. He says they're trying to make the cameras aesthetically pleasing. It's all part of a $2 million police technology upgrade the council passed last year.
Is it safe to say the cameras are operated by a bunch of pricks?
(Score: 5, Interesting) by GungnirSniper on Saturday May 16 2015, @06:21AM
New Hampshire is the only state with a ban on law enforcement use of these automagic readers. [eff.org]
The excuses of stolen cars or vehicles involved in an Amber Alert is to distract from the revenue-generating use of these foul contraptions. The databases used have everything: late inspection stickers, expired or suspended license of the owner, warrants, and a bunch of other revenue gotchas. Any thief worth his salt is going to swap plates, preferably from a matching vehicle. I doubt the technology is there yet to match color and make/model. Just wait until these things are used to permanently harass DUI offenders, recreational drug users, probation and restraining order types, etc.
Tips for better submissions to help our site grow. [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1) by Spamalope on Saturday May 16 2015, @01:36PM
Just wait until these things are used to permanently harass DUI offenders, recreational drug users, probation and restraining order types, etc.
They'll combine this with the new instant reporting banks do of any cash withdrawal of significance. Then using this tech, and taps in cells phones and car infotainment systems (Onstar is a tracking system foremost) they'll pull over the car and seize the cash using asset forfeiture laws. That's already been done with casino winners big enough that there winnings are required to be reported for tax purposes.
I'm afraid they'll target the pinball collector community I belong to. That's all on a cash an carry basis, and the desirable pins aren't cheap.