Automated License Plate Readers
- Greg Taylor
- Jul 29
- 1 min read
The Red Wing Police Department will begin installing six stationary automated license plate readers (ALPRs) this week.
They want residents to understand what this technology does, why it is being used, and the safeguards that apply.
An ALPR is a camera system that takes photos of vehicles and license plates as they drive past. ALPRs record a vehicle’s license plate number, note when and where a vehicle passed the camera, and take photos of the vehicle and the nearby area.
The system checks license plates against approved law‑enforcement databases such as stolen vehicles, AMBER Alerts, or vehicles linked to serious crimes.
If the system finds a possible match, it sends an alert to our local officers. Officers then review and verify the information before taking any action.
ALPRs are investigative tools. They do not, on their own, prove that a crime has occurred. ALPR cameras do not use facial recognition and do not identify people inside a vehicle.
ALPR cameras do not measure speed, catch red‑light violations, record audio, or issue any type of traffic citation.
The City follows Minnesota law, if the data is not part of an active criminal investigation, the City must delete it within 60 days.
For more details, go to https://www.redwingmn.gov/.
Did the city write this article? Can the camera feeds be pulled up without an alert being issued? Can the footage still be used as evidence if a crime is captured on them? So many unanswered questions with simple assurances that they won't be misused, despite mounting evidence that these systems (including ALPRs) do not prevent misuse and increasingly are being misused.