Letter: Law enforcement surveillance takes away freedom
Editor’s note: Stevens Point and Plover police have utilized license plate readers for several years, but the Portage Co. Sheriff’s Office only installed theirs in 2024. All three departments have said the cameras have been useful in solving numerous crimes. Also; in Portage Co., there is no accusation against any public official of stalking an ex-spouse.
To the Editor-
How much more freedom are we going to allow to be taken away under the guise of safety?
It has been known for some time that China implements a lot of mass surveillance. But just recently, funding has been given to our local areas to install license plate readers to track us. Portage County now has many of these black cameras (on a black post with a small solar panel above them). You have most likely noticed them popping up everywhere.
Each time you pass one of these, your identity, location, date, and time are recorded and stored. But that’s not all, these cameras use artificial intelligence, so things such as color, make, model, and even bumper stickers and other specific details of your car are also noted.
People such as Portage County Sheriff Mike Lukas support the mass surveillance and don’t mind tracking all of us innocent people. People like Lukas claim that these devices “may” decrease crime, but there hasn’t been any definite proof of that. There have even been cases where the cameras in other areas have already been misused, such as an official stalking his ex-wife.
Even with those concerns aside, do you really want your every move recorded, and by government officials of all people? The same governments that cracked down on us for having large gatherings, or even attending church in 2020? Have we already forgotten about that?
“Oh but our phones already track us.” No, not unless we willingly allow them. Phones aren’t required by law. You can choose some privacy settings on your phone, leave your it at home, or even put it in a Faraday bag to prevent it from tracking you altogether.
You can’t choose to not be tracked by these license plate readers. You didn’t even choose to have them installed. Even more so, you most likely weren’t even aware that they were going to be installed in the first place, and found out after they were already up and running.
Welcome to China.
Daniel Acker
Plover
