Police win legal challenge over secret road cameras
Devon and Cornwall Police have won a legal challenge to a decision ordering them to reveal the location of road cameras in the two counties.
Campaigning journalist Steven Mathieson, editor of Guardian Government Computing, demanded that the sites of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras be released in 2009 under the Freedom of Information Act.
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But the police’s refusal to hand over the data sparked a long-running legal row over the implications of the cameras’ positions being known to the public.
The issue is now set to be reviewed again later this year, after an appeal judge quashed an earlier decision that the information be revealed.
The upper tribunal was told police refused to say where the ANPR cameras were in August 2009, stating reasons of national security and the prevention of crime.
Its reply to Mr Mathieson read: “If the locations of these cameras were published, potential criminals would know where they are and could bypass or avoid them entirely.
“This would mean that the force would be less able to detect and reduce crime on the roads.”
But the force’s refusal to give up the locations was overruled by a first-tier tribunal last year, which ordered police to release the information within 35 days, pending an appeal.
The Chief Constable has now won an appeal against that decision, which Judge Charles Turnbull, sitting at the upper tribunal, ruled was “wrong in law”.
Judge Turnbull ordered that the matter be considered afresh by a new first-tier tribunal.
“Factual issues as to... where the balance of the public interest lies are ones to which the composition of a first-tier tribunal is particularly suited,” he said.
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7 Comments
by exeterman3
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 1:48PM
“@milesnagop,
You raise a valid point about how eroding rights and allowing intrusion from the government may seem acceptable now but it does set up the systems that any future oppressive government would love to have.
However, the issue here is not with what they are doing with the data. That is absolutely something that must be available for public scrutiny. It is the fact that this journalist wants the exact location of the cameras. Not just how many there are, or how they decide where to put them, but exactly where they are.
This is the same as asking the exact location and aliases of all undercover police officers.”
by Jungle_Jim
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 1:29PM
“milesnagop
Are you mad?
One of the reasons that road charging on the national network without toll booths is difficult is due to the massive quantities of data that would be collected and processed just to send out a bill.
Imagine trying to drill down through that sort of data to track everbody's movements.
I think camera janners are a better idea, just strap a true Plymothian to the front and back of your car and they won't see your numberplate.”
by milesnagop
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 10:55AM
“@Chunder123:
Camera jammers don't work. That they do is a myth.”
by milesnagop
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 10:54AM
“"This might be ones that have been reported stolen or have been used in a crime."
Equally, all the rest that it picks up won't have been involved in a crime and the police are still storing this information.
There's two things going on here. Firstly, if they're databasing this information then they have the means to monitor the travel habits of everyone in the UK.
Secondly, OK, they might not be doing this but again, they might. And since they're digging they're heals in on Freedom of Information requests it's unlikely you, or anyone else, will be able to find out the extent to which this is being done.
When the authorities become reluctant to release information about how they're monitory public behaviour you should be very concerned. Even if they're not, the fact that they _can_ makes the future very uncertain because you're relying on all future authorities, voted or otherwise, to behave themselves.”
by micromarke
Tuesday, February 14 2012, 1:17PM
“To KeithEX4. Well said. I totally agree.Keep the Cameras out of the Public Domain.Why should anyone with nothing to hide be concerned?.”
by KeithEX4
Tuesday, February 14 2012, 12:52PM
“I think Yesboy1 has missed the point of these cameras. They are not designed to pick up speeding but to recognise number plates for wanted vehicles. This might be ones that have been reported stolen or have been used in a crime. It is right that the locations are kept out of the public domain otherwise as the article says drivers will simply divert around the camera to avoid detection.
What does this journalist hope to achieve in requesting this information anyway? It would only benefit the criminal elements in our society.”
by Yesboy1
Tuesday, February 14 2012, 9:10AM
“if they are not going to share info into where the cameras are- in protest i will follow the speed restrictions and stop them getting any of my money!!”