A law was passed a few years ago that made it illegal for anyone to run a random check on any individual or tag unless they had a legitimate reason to do so. Can’t remember the exact date or title of the law. Prior to that almost anyone in any agency that had access to the NCIC data base could run a check on anybody. I could call friends in law enforcement and say, hey look up tag so and so and see who it is. People were looking up vanity tags with names like Shaq or Bionce to see where they lived for example. This particular cop had no reason in the first place to run a license check other that an apparent paint job. The court said a paint job was not sufficient reason to access NCIC data base. The new devices on police cars today that scan license plates automatically have been approved by the court for specific information such as stolen car etc. This police car did not have that device. I wish this police officer had gotten the druggie off the street for good, but he learned a lesson of what is required by law in a court proceeding.
“This particular cop had no reason in the first place to run a license check other that an apparent paint job.”
If random plate checks are illegal then about every police dept in America is guilty.
If the checks are legal, the stop for the non matching plate is also legal.
I don’t see how the court could rule the traffic cameras legal and turn around and say it is illegal to act on the information?