alt Hacker NewsI'm not sure what to think here. Legitimate misuse, sure. But the article says at least one person only looked up their own license plate. I feel like that should be considered acceptable. It's not law enforcement usage specifically, but can't I grant myself the right to see information on my own vehicle?
Yes, devil's advocate could say if standard citizens can't, no one can. Just seems so minor it's not worth losing a job over. All other cases (including plates of family which you don't directly own), yes, investigate fully and apply appropriate actions.
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It's misuse precisely because any civilian can't use the same tool. Despite how they act, cops do not have a separate set of legal rights that extend to their off-duty lives.
If a cop was checking to make sure they got away with drunk driving, it removes factors that might deter them from continuing that behavior.
In the state of Georgia, https://eservices.drives.ga.gov/_/ gives access to the following information based on license plate or VIN:
Look-up Information Look-up the status of your title, insurance, or registration. Also view available prestige plates or license plates, vehicle history, or search for ELT lienholders.
Check Title Status
Check Insurance Status
Check Registration Status
Check Prestige License Plate Availability
View License Plates
Search ELT Lienholder
Vehicle History Lookup
Check on My Purchase from a Dealer
It basically shows a lack of respect for the gravity of these tools. If a cop was fucking around with a gun, youd want them held accountable for that so there is a standard of care in using these things. We need that because these can be very dangerous if misused, even unintentionally. The next thing this cop might do with alpr data is look up their friend to play a prank on them or something. Its gotta be nipped in the bud
It’s a test with a good excuse. If caught, it’s only their own data, right? If not caught, then time to abuse the system.
im not sure if anyone saw me, was my presence noted on camera at the time and locale of a crime?
thats why looking up your own marker, should be suspicious, its reconaissance, investigating the investigation.
when someone queries the police for status of info, or tries to be overly helpful its a checkmark toward reasonable suspicion.
> I feel like that should be considered acceptable
Not if they're married and their spouse also drives the vehicle.