Beware, Western New York Police Are Watching You

For nearly 250 years, the people in the United States of America have prided themselves on being a bastion of freedom, liberty, and small government. However, the last few years have seen government agencies from the Federal level in Washington, D.C., to the local town clerk continuously expand thier power. Every day it seems to be getting harder to live without some sort of government agent watching and tracking your every move.

It seems like you can't walk out your front door without being watched, and Big Brother is nearly there. If you don't believe me, all you have to do is drive down just about any street in Western New York. Police agencies all over the region have just about every type of camera out there watching you.

There are traffic cameras all over the region, plus license plate readers mounted on streetlights and government vehicles throughout Western New York, not to mention vehicle transponder monitors. Even more towns and counties are adopting technology to keep track of you.

Police In Western New York Have Camera All Over The Region

Government agencies in Erie and Niagara counties claim that these devices are used to combat crime, but the policies governing their use are secretive or non-existent, and many agencies are reluctant to release data about their cameras, including the footage.

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services says License Plate Readers and FLOCK-style cameras are legal as long as they're used for legitimate law enforcement purposes. Still, the American Civil Liberties Union has made thier concerns known about how these devices can invade our privacy. The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) expands on these concerns, as Police Departments can track innocent people everywhere they go.

Having this technology everywhere is just like having a cop on the corner of every street, writing down the license plate of every person who drives by. Officials have said that this data is only used to investigate crime and not for any other purposes, but do we trust them to keep their word? Especially since many police agencies have a tendency to look out for thier own interests and put that above the people...

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