The Illinois State Police (ISP) have been utilizing an automated license plate reader program to aid in identifying witnesses or suspects in highway shooting cases. According to the ISP, this technology has helped in 82% of cases this year. However, the state is now facing a lawsuit filed by the libertarian legal group Liberty Justice Center, accusing the ISP of operating a system of dragnet surveillance by using the cameras to monitor all traffic that passes them. The lawsuit seeks to end the state's operation of the license plate reader program and provide specific protections for the plaintiffs, who claim that the constant surveillance violates their rights. The state budget for fiscal year 2025 includes $7 million in new funding for the technology. Despite the controversy surrounding the license plate reader program, state expressway shootings have been declining since 2021, and 2024 is on track to have the fewest number of shootings since 2019. The ISP plans to expand the use of license plate reader cameras throughout the state later this year. [0ce61607]
