City Council will decide June 5 whether to continue the Austin Police Department's use of hundreds of data-collecting license plate scanners citywide, an initiative that's contributed to scores of arrests over the past year while raising concerns over mass surveillance and data misuse.

How we got here

Automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, rapidly scan license plate information and match it with law enforcement "hot lists" of vehicle thefts and serious crimes. APD's use of ALPR cameras was halted by city officials back in 2020, and after years on hold, city officials considered restoring ALPRs in 2022.

After further discussion focused on new guardrails for the collection and use of Austinites' data, council officially moved to reboot the program in a trial format several mon

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