Third Year of Surveillance Raises Questions About Data Collection in Kentwood

KENTWOOD, Mich. — The Kentwood Police Department is entering its third year using license plate reading cameras, a tool that scans about 3 million plates a month and has led to dozens of arrests, though some neighbors and civil rights advocates are raising privacy concerns.

There are more than 20 cameras set up around the city, strategically positioned in areas where police have identified higher crime rates and accident hot spots.

"We use them in areas that we from our stats and our numbers show like high crime areas or areas that there are high like traffic accidents," Kentwood Police Chief Bryan Litwin said.

52 Successful Outcomes in Last Year

The cameras scan over 3 million license plates every month. Last year alone, the department reported 52 successful outcomes from the surveillance technology.

"We had arrests for assaults, for robberies, for stolen vehicles," Chief Litwin said.

However, that concept is not sitting well with some Kentwood residents, who expressed concerns about constant oversight in their neighborhoods.

ACLU Pushes for Statewide Guidelines

The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan agrees with those concerns and is actively fighting to create statewide guidelines through bipartisan bills in the Michigan House.

"These present serious privacy risks," said Gabrielle Dresner, policy strategist for ACLU of Michigan. "So the ACLU of Michigan's stance is typically around surveillance technology. It's best not to use it. However, if it is going to be used, then guardrails need to be put into place."

The ACLU is proposing several key protections:

• Limiting data retention to 14 days
• Making usage numbers publicly reported
• Ensuring cameras are only used on active criminal investigations or missing persons cases

"So when we're looking at surveillance technologies, we really need to be careful about what we're implementing and how we're implementing it," Dresner said.

Kentwood Has Guardrails in Place

Kentwood police already have similar guardrails in place, according to Chief Litwin.

Data is wiped after 30 days, and the cameras only scan license plates. The system does not capture any personal identifying information or take pictures of people.

"It doesn't capture any personal identifying information. It doesn't take pictures of people. You don't see who the driver is. All you're literally catching is the back of that vehicle and that license plate," Litwin said.

Documented Searches Prevent Random Surveillance

When asked about privacy issues and whether the cameras are invasive, Chief Litwin explained the tracking system in place.

"It's all tracked. So if an officer is looking for a specific plate, they have to document why. They have to document so they just can't randomly be searching people for no reason. It has to be tied to a crime, some type of investigation, and that's all tracked," Litwin said.

Neighbors Remain Divided on the Issue

Not all Kentwood residents share the privacy concerns. Joyce Collier, a local resident, sees the cameras as a positive addition to the city.

"It might be safe, it might prevent a lot of mistaken identity as far as police versus civilians, and it'll give them a more of a better view of who they really looking for," Collier said.

"If you're not involved in any criminal activity, I don't see how it would be a problem," Collier added.

What's Next

The debate continues as the Kentwood Police Department enters year three of using this surveillance technology. The ACLU plans to continue pushing for statewide guidelines, while police chief Litwin maintains that the cameras serve an important public safety function.

The question remains: where is the line between community safety and individual privacy? And as more communities consider implementing similar technology, will Kentwood's current approach become the model or will it face greater scrutiny?