In San Fernando, the police are leveraging technology to track down cars connected to criminal activities. Chief Fabian Valdez of the San Fernando Police Department explained that cameras are strategically placed throughout the city, capturing vehicles passing through intersections. This technology has helped law enforcement officers apprehend suspects earlier this month, including a man who attempted to kidnap and rape a 14-year-old girl at a bus stop on June 3.
Since the program began in April, it has generated multiple leads leading to several arrests, including those related to attempted murder and kidnapping. The system combines digital photography and artificial intelligence, allowing them to run license plates through law enforcement databases to identify if any crimes are associated with the vehicle.
Chief Valdez gave an example of how useful the system can be by showing all the areas where a camera picked up a vehicle. Data collected by the cameras is sent in real-time to officers’ cellphones, allowing for immediate action. While this high-tech system is in use throughout the Southland, there are concerns about privacy. The American Civil Liberties Union has criticized these cameras as a mass surveillance system, urging citizens to question how long non-hit license plate data is retained.
In some states like New Hampshire, police officers are required to delete data of regular citizens not involved in a crime within three minutes. However, in California, this data is stored for up to 30 days. It’s important for citizens to understand their rights when it comes to surveillance and how their personal information is being collected and used by law enforcement agencies.
