There have been some significant concerns surrounding a new technology that is being incorporated for the purpose of enhanced public safety. The technology is known as LPRs or License Plate Readers, and it consists of fixed cameras along public roadways, by which any and all vehicles traveling on those roadways are subject to their vehicle license plate information being scanned and subsequently stored in a data base.

As you can imagine having a data base of not just vehicle information, but also the associated travel activity could and has been of great value in the investigation of crimes. We have seen similar technologies such as ring door bell, and CCTV (Closed Circuit TV) be of great use as we work to solve crimes, protect victims, and keep our communities safe. It is that last word that I want to focus on in this article; Safe. What does it mean to be safe? To what levels are we willing to go to in the pursuit of safety? How do we strike a balance between our desire for safety, while sustaining the freedoms we cherish so dearly.

Freedom by its nature is a risky proposition. For every decision we make, we take a certain risk. From driving vehicles, to riding a bike or going for a walk. Even in our daily habits of how we spend or invest our money. Each action brings with it, an associated risk. There are some who would say that we need greater restrictions, or more regulations in the name safety. There are many who yearn for a reality whereby pain, suffering, or discomfort could be eliminated by the increased intervention of government. As law enforcement officers, our purpose and mission is rooted in the pursuit of keeping our communities safe. Each time there is an auto accident, a theft, or tragic incident, we look inward, and ask how could we have prevented such a thing from happening. In most cases however, the answer is, we can’t. Many times, the best we can do is respond, and provide as much dignity and respect to the victims, while conducting the most professional and thorough investigation in pursuit of justice.

The truth of the matter is that we live in a free country, and that freedom brings with it risks and dangers. Although a utopian dream of safety at all costs may be alluring, we must guard against that utopia stripping us of the freedoms that make life worth living, and allow us each to live out our life’s purpose.

The application of any tactic or technology by those who serve the public, must always strike that important balance between the safety of that community, and the preservation of the God given freedom of that same community.

As the great Ben Franklin once stated. “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”There have been some significant concerns surrounding a new technology that is being incorporated for the purpose of enhanced public safety. The technology is known as LPRs or License Plate Readers, and it consists of fixed cameras along public roadways, by which any and all vehicles traveling on those roadways are subject to their vehicle license plate information being scanned and subsequently stored in a data base.

As you can imagine having a data base of not just vehicle information, but also the associated travel activity could and has been of great value in the investigation of crimes. We have seen similar technologies such as ring door bell, and CCTV (Closed Circuit TV) be of great use as we work to solve crimes, protect victims, and keep our communities safe. It is that last word that I want to focus on in this article; Safe. What does it mean to be safe? To what levels are we willing to go to in the pursuit of safety? How do we strike a balance between our desire for safety, while sustaining the freedoms we cherish so dearly.

Freedom by its nature is a risky proposition. For every decision we make, we take a certain risk. From driving vehicles, to riding a bike or going for a walk. Even in our daily habits of how we spend or invest our money. Each action brings with it, an associated risk. There are some who would say that we need greater restrictions, or more regulations in the name safety. There are many who yearn for a reality whereby pain, suffering, or discomfort could be eliminated by the increased intervention of government. As law enforcement officers, our purpose and mission is rooted in the pursuit of keeping our communities safe. Each time there is an auto accident, a theft, or tragic incident, we look inward, and ask how could we have prevented such a thing from happening. In most cases however, the answer is, we can’t. Many times, the best we can do is respond, and provide as much dignity and respect to the victims, while conducting the most professional and thorough investigation in pursuit of justice.

The truth of the matter is that we live in a free country, and that freedom brings with it risks and dangers. Although a utopian dream of safety at all costs may be alluring, we must guard against that utopia stripping us of the freedoms that make life worth living, and allow us each to live out our life’s purpose.

The application of any tactic or technology by those who serve the public, must always strike that important balance between the safety of that community, and the preservation of the God given freedom of that same community.

As the great Ben Franklin once stated. “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”