A list of agencies with access to the city of Oneonta’s automatic license plate reader data includes the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York office, according to a list provided by City Administrator Greg Mattice.
Mattice prepared a report on the city’s use of ALPRs for the Common Council at some of the members’ request.
His report stated that he was unable to gain a list of agencies which had access to the Oneonta Police Department’s ALPR data for the report, but that he requested OPD make it available by Tuesday, Aug. 25, which was when the Community, Legislation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee met. Mattice provided the list to Elayne Mosher Campoli, D-First Ward, during the meeting.
That list included the following agencies: the DEA’s New York office; the New York/New Jersey High Drug Trafficking Areas program labeled with “NY” next to it, a multi-state coordinating body with federal involvement; New York State Police; the state Division of Criminal Justice Services; police departments for the cities of Binghamton, Johnson and Kingston; and the sheriff’s offices for Broome, Madison, Onondaga, Chenango, Schenectady and Sullivan counties.
Oneonta Police Chief Christopher Witzenburg answered questions about the department’s use of ALPRs from Common Council members Shannon McHugh, D-Third Ward, and Mosher Campoli.
Witzenburg said that a case number must be used to access the data, both by OPD and outside agencies. He said the department has four auditors, including himself, to look at who is accessing the data and why. He said OPD does not partner with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The city has five Axon brand ALPRs in patrol vehicles and six Motorola brand ALPRs in fixed locations at points of ingress and egress to the city.
A Flock Safety camera at the Lowe’s in Oneonta town has been one cause for Town Supervisor Will Rivera’s recent call for a town-wide ban on the technology.
Mattice’s report stated that “OPD advises that it is not presently receiving information from commercial LPR operators in the Oneonta area.”
Committee Chairperson Scott Harrington, R-Sixth Ward, and Kaytee Lipari Shue, D-Fourth Ward, were absent. Council members Carolyn Marks, D-Seventh Ward, and Don Mathisen, D-Eighth Ward, attended as audience members.
This is a developing story.