U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes of Akron has introduced legislation aimed at holding law enforcement agencies accountable for misusing license plate reader cameras, including the Flock cameras in use in communities across Ohio. Sykes announced the measure in an October 22 press release, saying abuse of the tools by officers to stalk victims will not be tolerated.
The bill, called the Law Enforcement Accountability for Plate Reader Abuse Act, or LEAP Act, would require state and local departments that receive certain federal grant money to report misuse of plate reader cameras to the U.S. Attorney General, along with the corrective action taken. The grants covered are the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant and the Community Oriented Policing Services program, known as COPS.
Under the proposal, departments receiving those funds would also face random audits by the Office of the Inspector General. A department that took no corrective measures, or where misuse happened again, could lose 10 percent of funding under the programs, and inaccurate reporting of data could cost 15 percent, according to the announcement.
Sykes represents Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, which covers all of Summit County, a swath of northwestern Stark County and part of Portage County. She is running for reelection on November 3 against Republican challenger Carey Coleman. Akron has received money from each of the grant programs in the past and was awarded Byrne grant funds this year, the Beacon Journal reported.
License plate readers photograph plates on passing vehicles and store the data, which police say helps locate stolen cars, missing people and suspects. The systems have also drawn scrutiny in Ohio and nationally over how long data is kept, who can search it, and what happens when an officer uses it for a personal reason, concerns that sit at the center of Sykes’ bill.
“Law enforcement officials are trusted members of our communities,” Sykes said in the release announcing the bill. “I introduced this legislation to protect victims whose safety has been put in jeopardy by rogue officers and to ensure that departments are holding those responsible accountable for their actions.” The measure now heads to the House, where it will need committee action before any floor vote.
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0