Police are pulling people over because license plate cameras say their travel patterns look "suspicious

techspot ^

[algore]

The ACLU recently outlined a pattern of police traffic stops based solely on data from Flock cameras and other license plate readers. The reports go back to at least 2025 and show how closely authorities can track the movements of most motorists.

In one case from late 2025, a woman only understood the extent of the surveillance when an officer demonstrated the software following a traffic stop.

As she traveled through several states on a road trip to Florida, a self-identified FBI agent ran her license plate through a database and stopped her simply because she was from another state and her recent travels seemed unusual compared to the information the ALPR network had on her.

Dozens of officers have been caught using the cameras to stalk ex-partners. Even in routine police work, traffic stops based on ALPR data raise questions about whether driving patterns amount to probable cause.

In another 2025 case, police stopped a man simply because he drove back and forth between his home in Wisconsin and Michigan. Because marijuana is legal in Michigan, authorities suspected that anyone driving in and out of the state might be trafficking it to parts of the country where it remains illegal.

Earlier this year, an Oklahoma judge called a similar stop unconstitutional indiscriminate mass surveillance, even though it led to the seizure of 91 pounds of meth. In response to such incidents, a Florida representative recently introduced a bill to require warrants to search ALPR databases. However, other politicians want to ban the technology outright.

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TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: 1984truth; deflock; donutwatch

[Libloather]

Cops can pull you over at any time for any thing. And when they say “get out of the car”, get out of the frickin’ car.

[rey]

Suspicion isn’t a crime anywhere in the US.

[Vendome]

Stupid

No lawful predicate...

[Fledermaus]

Probable Cause

[ansel12]

One of the most fun things my brother and I would do during the late 60s/early 70s was get a half gallon of wine each and drive around the richest neighborhoods of Houston, talking and looking at the grand homes at night, hours and hours of it, both being heavy readers we had lots of things to talk about through the night.

That would not be happening today.

[fwdude]

Cops can pull you over at any time for any thing.

That is a fallacy. Although it's easy to find some obscure violation committed (failure to maintain a single lane, failed to signal turn, speeding 2 mph over the limit) police MUST have probable cause to legally detain someone in a car.

[blackdog]

You can’t get a Memphis Police Cruiser to pull over a car for a traffic stop if it had no windshield, two flat tires, no license plate, blackened windows, weed smoke billowing out the windows, and tossing MD-20 bottles out the windows.

[beef]

Ah, yes. Road drinking. Those were the days.

[equaviator]

When they find nothing to ticket you for or to charge you with then they ought give you a $50 gift card for your trouble.

[beef]

"Cops can do pull you over at any time for any thing."

There, fixed it for you. You're welcome!

[Libloather]

Window tint is too dark. License, insurance and registration please.

[ansel12]

Back when cops were few and far between we would go out to the country and have a girlfriend drive around while we sat on the trunk of our big old cars drinking and talking and occasionally shooting at something with our 22 rifles, I loved that laid back drinking and sitting on a slow driving car, it was very nature oriented.

[plain talk]

Police used to have to sit in police cars in the hood somewhere and watch known drug dealers and criminals making their rounds. Now they have have remote cameras helping them.

[Delta 21]

[stanne]

I stopped to look at a 68 VW bug yesterday

I wanted it. I could smell it. I could feel it bouncing around, bumming a ride with my friends, 110 lbs of me in the rumble seat, I could feel the scratchy upholstery back there, dropping people off, picking others up, my brother driving, on our way to a party at the beach.

And in the winter, coffee and bagels on our way to school, in the snow, that bug negotiating patches, the condensation from the snowy weather, heat on or off. No gradients

And in Jimmy Cs ride, one of five or six on our way home from sleigh riding Jimmy taking a right into the Primrose land cul de sac to spin. We called it doing doing 360s. Then just moving along. Girls in the car so no word was uttered about a life and limb threatening move like a no hitter, it was just that the conditions were too perfect, the ice, snow, light, time of day, weight in the car. Had to be done

My own bug driving across the Throgs Neck Brisge terrified on a windy day, cracking the windows, reaching across to the wind-down handle

All of that came to me but none of those memories as much as - no beeping, no yelling at me to put a seat belt on, no cameras, no satellites watching me, no freaking automatic engine shut-off, responsible enough to keep an eye on the fuel gauge (eek not always).

Sigh

[SPDSHDW]

No they cannot. And while you technically should comply for your safety alone, not every attempt to get you from your vehicle is legal, and there are plenty of lawsuits to back that.

[SPDSHDW]

Window tint is legal on all rear windows to any darkness, and most states so is front side windows.

Try again.

[rexthecat]

If you’re asked if they can “look in your car?,” say no. If they persist, ask to see the sergeant on duty.

[Libloather]

You are incorrect but thanks for playing.