Codington County has pulled the plug on its four Flock License Plate Reader cameras in the county due to repeated vandalism. Sheriff Brad Howell says the County Highway Department was removing the fourth and final stationary, pole-mounted camera Monday, after the cameras were repeatedly spray painted, and in some cases, had wires cut.
The cameras take photos of license plates of vehicles as they pass by, and that information is stored into a database where the plate can be cross-referenced with vehicles that may be linked to crimes such as car thefts, kidnappings or Amber Alerts.
But misuse of the cameras by some law enforcement agencies nationally has led to strong pushback from the public. Some opponents say the cameras violate their Constitutional rights to unreasonable search and seizure.
Howell says Codington County was in the first year of a two year contract with Flock at a cost of around $20,000 a year.
He’s not sure if the cameras will be re-installed in the future.
Thanks Mike Tanner-KWAT Radio