Rep. Jacobsen calls for balance on license plate reader limits
Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen, R-Puyallup, spoke on the House floor about the need to balance limits on government power with the public safety benefits of law enforcement using automated license plate readers (ALPRs).
“I am very concerned about overarching government powers and too powerful of governments,” Jacobsen said. “I really think that we need to put regulations on this kind of technology.
“But the flip side of that is that it’s very useful. In the city of Puyallup, we had 433 crimes investigated, and we had 136 arrests made. We’ve arrested folks for motor vehicle theft, robbery and aggravated assault, and these cameras have been very helpful. Our crime rates have actually gone down measurably after we began using these cameras.”
Jacobsen said she is concerned that Senate Bill 6002, which would prohibit law enforcement from using automated license plate readers in and around schools, could limit a tool that can help protect children.
