Police number plate cameras may breach RIPA
ANPR’s problem has been spotted by Chief Surveillance Commissioner Sir Andrew Leggatt, part guardian of liberty, part doormat, who notes in his annual report that RIPA requires authorisation for operations involving intrusive surveillance. This is usually granted for surveillance operations on named suspects, but clearly fixed ANPR cameras scanning for large numbers are suspects (e.g. those recorded as not having tax, insurance or MoT) don’t readily fit into such a system.
The ways of modern policing introduce the technology and worry (or not) about the legality and ethics of its use later.