New Jersey Protesters Challenge Widespread Use of Automated License Plate Readers

A group of about two dozen people gathered in the scorching August sun at an outer edge of a Home Depot parking lot in West Berlin, New Jersey. They were protesting a black solar-powered automated license plate reader perched on a pole above them.

The protesters, from a group called DeFlock South Jersey, hoped to limit the use of these readers due to privacy concerns. However, they face an uphill battle as the vast majority of New Jersey's law enforcement agencies, more than 520 entities, already utilize automated license plate readers.

Major retailers like Home Depot also deploy these cameras for loss prevention and employee safety purposes. The Inquirer's Ximena Conde reports that efforts to restrict this technology in New Jersey are still in their nascent stages.