Sioux City, Iowa (RI) — Sioux City is looking to add to the license plate reading cameras police are already using. The city council approved allowing Police chief Rex Meuller to seek a grant to fund 21 more cameras.
It will cost around 77-thousand dollars to purchase the new cameras, and Sioux City would then have a total of 33 cameras. Mayor Bob Scott opposes adding the additional cameras, citing privacy concerns and the ongoing cost of running them.
Chief Mueller says they are seeking private sponsor to pay for the ongoing future cost of using the cameras. The annual recurring cost would be 63-thousand dollars.
The ACLU of Iowa has raised concerns recently after Clear Lake and Corallville each added the license plate reading cameras. The ACLU says their concern is the cameras would be used to let local government “track and spy on the very people they are supposed to represent.”
KIWA Staff Photo
