Wright City aldermen are nearing approval of a city ordinance that would control the use of, and create transparency requirements for, smart cameras that automatically identify license plates and other information about passing vehicles.

The board of aldermen approved use of the smart cameras, also referred to as automated license plate readers, after contentious debate and discussion earlier this spring. The ordinance now before them will require the Wright City Police Department to provide information about how the camera systems are being used, and also require certain usage data to be published on the city’s website.

The smart camera systems are motion-activated and capture still images of passing vehicles. An online system then automatically records the vehicle’s license plate and general description, and stores the photo and information for 30 days. The online system can be shared between police agencies and can send out automated alerts whenever a camera spots a vehicle that’s been placed on a “hotlist” by police.

The smart cameras were opposed by Alderman Karey Owens, who has now become the author of the ordinance that she says will put safeguards on how the system is used.

“If we’re going to have them, let’s make sure we’re as transparent as possible about it,” Owens commented in an update shared through her public Facebook page.

Here’s a summary of the main requirements outlined in a draft of the ordinance:

• Any smart camera used by Wright City must have a ‘surveillance notification’ sign displayed on or near the device.
• Information must be added to the city website stating what vehicle information is being collected, which outside agencies have access to Wright City’s data, and real-time statistics related to camera usage, including how many “hotlist” vehicles have been detected and how many database searches have been conducted by police.
• The Wright City police chief must inform aldermen immediately after learning that data from the cameras has been improperly accessed or used.
• The police chief must present the board of aldermen with an annual review of how the smart cameras are being used, as well as any complaints or concerns. A summary of that report must be provided to a local newspaper for publication.

What isn’t in the  draft ordinance?

During initial discussion of the smart cameras, Alderman Owens and Alderman Ramiz Hakim both expressed citizen privacy concerns and called for an independent, citizen oversight group to periodically review how the camera system is being used. However, after further debate this month, Owens stated aldermen chose not to implement that requirement. She indicated that aldermen felt that transparency information published on the city’s website and in the annual report should be sufficient.

However, in the absence of an independent oversight group, the draft ordinance notably lacks two relevant privacy provisions: a definition for “improper” use of the system, and a mechanism for citizens to discover whether information about their vehicle’s movements is being improperly accessed.

The Record contacted Owens to ask about these potential concerns. She replied that “improper use would mean data accessed outside legitimate law enforcement uses or by unauthorized personnel,” and that additional clarification would be added to the ordinance before passage.

Owens said that if anyone is concerned that data about their vehicle or whereabouts is being accessed improperly, they would contact the lieutenant or chief of the Wright City Police Department to have their concern addressed.

The draft ordinance also does not include a prohibition on using the cameras to monitor for expired license plate tags, a concern that several citizens expressed when the cameras were first discussed.

The Wright City Board of Aldermen’s next public meeting, where they will potentially vote on the ordinance, is on Oct. 27.