Coralville may soon join a growing list of eastern Iowa cities using license plate recognition (LPR) cameras, a law enforcement tool that has raised privacy concerns.
Flock Safety recently presented its LPR system to the Coralville City Council during a work session. These cameras scan license plates and alert police if a vehicle is linked to a person of interest. Data collected is stored for 30 days before deletion.
The ACLU of Iowa has voiced opposition, warning the cameras could create a database tracking people’s locations.
Despite the concerns, police say the cameras have proven effective. Lt. Mike Merstik of the Coralville Police Department noted that privately owned LPR cameras already in use have helped solve a range of cases, from hit-and-runs to missing persons and felony crimes.
The city has allocated $19,000 for the initiative. Coralville would join other Iowa cities—Cedar Rapids, North Liberty, and Dubuque—that already use the technology.
