Texas police departments are conspiring with a private company called Vigilant Solutions in an
outrageous scheme to maximize the extortion of citizens, while collecting reams of personal information to use for commercial profit.
In the deal—dubbed "warrant redemption"—Texas law enforcement agencies get free automated license plate readers (ALPRs) as well as access to Vigilant's massive database and analytical tools. In exchange for this, police departments give Vigilant all of the data they collect on drivers, along with access to information about all outstanding court fees. The cops don't pay a dime, and Vigilant uses this information for nearly unlimited commercial purposes.
ALPRs are becoming increasingly common in law enforcement, being a form of mass surveillance, collecting real-time information on people's whereabouts and feeding it into databases to access at any time. Regardless of whether you are suspected of a crime, these systems are tracking your movements, telling law enforcement things like what doctors you visit, what political activities you participate in, and where you sleep at night.
Comment: These license plate readers will certainly not be utilized in white, affluent communities. This is just another tactic that these tools of the state can employ to keep their boots on the necks of the common man and woman.