Full Breakdown
Law Enforcement’s New License Plate Readers Capture Device Identifiers, Raising Privacy Questions
6/18/2026, 6:11:36 AM
SignalTrace Expands ALPR Functionality
Leonardo’s SignalTrace adds radio-frequency sensors to standard ALPRs, sweeping up identifiers from smartphones, tablets, Bluetooth wearables, AirTags, headphones, vehicle 5G hotspots, infotainment units, tire-pressure sensors and pet microchips. The company holds a patent and says the system captures frequencies without decrypting device content.
Deployments in Roanoke and Crow Wing County
In Roanoke, Virginia, police used an ALPR to locate a vehicle tied to an armed robbery, leading to the arrest of David Ray Allman on robbery and firearm charges. In Minnesota, the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office installed ten Flock ALPR cameras on major highways, feeding plate data to the Minnesota BCA hot list, which updates four times daily with alerts for stolen vehicles, revoked registrations and missing-person notices.
Official Statements
Leonardo’s release states SignalTrace “captures device frequencies” without accessing content. Lieutenant Craig Katzenberger said the Flock cameras “do not record speed; they only photograph plates as vehicles pass,” and retain images for 30 days before auto-deletion. Roanoke Police noted the ALPR helped “identify a possible location connected to the suspect vehicle.”
Privacy Criticism
Privacy groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation warn that aggregating device identifiers enables “pattern-of-life” profiling and fuels “Big Brother” concerns, arguing that metadata can reveal personal habits despite no content capture.
Data Practices
Flock cameras keep images for 30 days then delete them. Leonardo stores device-correlation data in its Enterprise Operations Center. Each camera costs about $3,000 per year to lease. The BCA hot list refreshes four times daily.
Conflicting Perspectives
Leonardo claims no device content is intercepted; privacy advocates argue that device identifiers are personal data that can expose behavior. Misunderstandings that ALPRs issue tickets or record speed persist, which officials deny.
Verbatim Quotes
- “bridge the gap between vehicle and occupant.” — Leonardo product literature
- “They do not record speed; they do not record. They are strictly taking pictures of the license plate and the vehicle as the vehicle passes by the camera.” — Craig Katzenberger, Operations Lieutenant, Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office
- “I think the big fear from people is the Big Brother thing,” — Craig Katzenberger, Operations Lieutenant, Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office
- “stores device and correlation data securely in the EOC Enterprise Operations Center for future queries and analysis.” — Leonardo product sheet
Future Outlook
Leonardo seeks further contracts with U.S. Special Operations Command and the General Services Administration. Crow Wing County is reviewing policies to limit data sharing to Minnesota agencies, while public and legislative scrutiny of device-tracking ALPRs grows.
