Montgomery County leaders defend use of license plate trackers amid privacy concerns

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - Montgomery County leaders are defending the police department's use of license plate reader technology amid privacy concerns. It comes as the county sees a rise in auto thefts. 

What we know:

Across the D.C. region and the country, pushback over police surveillance through license plate readers or Flock cameras is sparking debates. 

In Virginia, the Town of Dumfries voted to remove its Flock cameras due to community concerns about privacy. 

READ MORE | Northern Virginia town to deactivate Flock cameras amid privacy concerns

Montgomery County police said their cameras are giving officers critical leads in investigations, especially as auto thefts surge. Officials said their automated license plate readers can track stolen cars, help investigate carjackings and find vehicles linked to crimes. 

In the last year, the county recorded a 22% increase in auto thefts. 

"The one area we’re still having a lot of challenges, and it’s been reported, is the auto thefts," said Capt. Victor Galladora with Montgomery County police. "When somebody has their vehicle stolen, it’s the one or two most expensive things that person owns, and the faster we can recover that vehicle and get it back to them, that’s their livelihood in many cases."

With many departments struggling to hire enough officers, many are expanding their use of technology through surveillance cameras, drones and robotics. While officers see the technology as force multipliers, they are also running into public concerns about privacy, data security and what happens to the images that police cameras see. 

In some cases, community members are starting to ask if the camera’s technology is advancing faster than the rules designed to control them. 

Police said they understand the concerns, but say if they lose their license plate readers, they would lose a key tool that they depend on. 

In Montgomery County, officials stressed that their license plate readers are not Flock cameras, and they do not share their data with outside agencies. 

On Wednesday, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich doubled down on his support of the license plate readers, calling them a critical investigative tool. 

"With these cameras, the cameras look at a license plate. If it triggers an alert that this is a stolen vehicle, you know right away. I think this technology stands on its own," Elrich said. 

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