Who’s Watching Your Car? How Police Use License Plate Readers

Join Dutchie Jessee on this revealing episode of "The Cardinal: News of Virginia," as she sits down with executive editor Jeff Schwaner and reporters Samantha Verrelli and Dean‑Paul Stephens to unpack Cardinal News’s latest investigation into the expansive use of license plate reader (LPR) cameras across Southwest and Southside Virginia.Discover how local law enforcement agencies are deploying LPRs — like Flock Safety and mobile unit networks — to crack crimes, recover stolen vehicles, assist in Amber Alerts and conduct missing‑person searchesLearn what Virginia's new LPR law, effective July 1, mandates — fundamental limits on use, 21‑day footage retention, mandatory public policies and reports — alongside worrisome loopholes, such as “Other” search categories and reduced public oversight.Hear about the legal battle centering on a FOIA request by Cardinal News to access LPR data, led by Schwaner himself, culminating in a court decision affirming that at least some LPR footage must be publicly available.