See if Your Louisiana License Plate has Been Searched – Here’s How

(KMDL-FM) The struggle for private citizens to remain private is now very real for those who want to avoid the prying eyes of "Big Brother". License plate readers and scanners are fast becoming the norm for communities not only in Louisiana but across the nation. Even if you have nothing to hide, it can still be unsettling to think that someone is monitoring your movements.

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Because so many municipalities are using Flock Safety Cameras, you now have a resource to see if your license plate has been part of a law enforcement search. The camera logs do not explain why your plates were scanned and searched, but you can find out who is monitoring your movements and how often they are monitoring your movements.

There have been cases where certain individuals with access to license plate reader cameras have abused the privilege. In fact, there have been cases where law enforcement workers have used the technology to keep tabs on love interests and former love interests. The individuals who were discovered doing that, for the most part, have been terminated from their jobs and are facing other charges.

READ MORE: Interactive Map Shows Location of License Plate Readers

One media outlet in Lafayette reported that between the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Police Department and the City of Lafayette Police Department, almost 190,000 searches were done over 30 days.

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Just for clarity, you should know that the reasons law enforcement agencies might run a license plate scan range from stolen vehicle and stolen property investigations to investigations of violent crimes, missing persons, drug enforcement, warrant service, and establishing movement patterns of those suspected of breaking the law.

License Plate Readers Have Helped Law Enforcement in Many Ways

These kinds of cameras have also been beneficial in cases of Amber Alerts, missing children investigations, and other scenarios where quick identification aids in the solution of a crime or potential crime. The cameras are not all bad. The people who have access to them might not be able to make that statement; that's the problem.

READ MORE: Flock Cameras Instrumental in Finding Missing Child in Louisiana 

There are two ways you can obtain information on whether your plates were involved in a Flock Camera search. The first one is via Flock Safety's Search History Tool. Just for fun, I ran my own license plate, and it came back with 0 searches. See, my writing isn't the only boring thing about me.

How Can You Find Out if Your License Plate Has Been Searched?

You can also see if your plates were searched by submitting your information on the website haveibeenflocked.com. It is an independent website that allows you to input your license plate information and see which law enforcement agencies may have scanned your plates. I ran my plates on that site too. Still boring, like Mississippi State football.

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Regardless of how you feel about the use of this kind of surveillance, it's not going to change anytime soon. The reporting data and who can access the technology could become more restrictive, but the cameras are too valuable for law enforcement agencies to give them up. The priority now becomes making sure those who are given access to the technology understand the burden of responsibility that comes with that access.

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Meanwhile, you can stay off the cameras and the accident reports by driving safely. Speaking of which, how many of these questions can you answer without Googling?