Col. Oscar Perez with Col. Steve O'Donnell

from the Sikonk Supply Hotline. Colonel Jared Polis, welcome to the Tara Granahan show. Colonel, good morning. Thank you. Yeah. Colonel, I don't know if you were listening, but obviously you know this is, you know, a national issue that's developed. This morning, Gene had on Representative Morales. I was at the Province My Oil Forum the other day that was handled in Province at Track 15. And I listened to the Mayor Smiley, and I listened to Representative Morales, and they both had different views on license plate readers and the flock cameras. And Providence is the urban, you know, metropolis in Rhode Island. Providence has them. So if you can talk to the listeners about what it is, again, Colonel Winquist, if you weren't listening, had mentioned. the value these bring, but also the protective measure is where some people don't trust the police. And one thing I wanted to throw out, thank you for those people who are texting in and making comments. Law enforcement in general, the majority of people support law enforcement. There are always people that think the police, they don't trust the police and the things like that. But they are an established. entity in this country that they're needed, and I really don't have to explain them much more. So there are people that don't trust them. I get it. There are police officers that make mistakes and do the wrong things with data. Yes, but police have access to NCIC, which is a national crime information center. There's a lot of information in there that, you know, they're entrusted, they've sworn to uphold the law. There's fusion centers that gather data. There's joint terrorism task force that gathered data real... Real-time crime centers is one thing that you can talk about that gathers data. In the last piece is I talked to Colonel Winquist about red light cameras. A red light cameras gather data and you get a ticket and you have to pay a fee, a fund, and that helps funding state and local government. You get a ticket when you're not a ticket, but you get your plate's red when you go over the bridges where you have to pay a fee. There's more data coming through that than these cameras that just... pick up a license plate and a picture of a car. So without further ado, open forum for you, Colonel. And if anybody wants to call in and talk about this, it's 438-9776. But, Colonel, thanks for calling in again. And your theory on this and the value that these cameras bring to your police department. You know, thank you, Colonel. Listen, I'm sure that Colonel Winquist explained it. I know that he's the department and many of the departments, just not just in Rhode Island around the nation, uses technology, obviously, to fight crime. But I'll start with this. Look, my job as a police chief is not political. My job and my priorities, just like Mayor Smiley's priorities, is to protect our community, obviously investigate crimes, and answer to the people we serve. When a constituent calls us because something happened or like the horrific incident we had at Brown University, the community wants answers, and we have to have the tools to investigate it. Technology is part of that 21st century policing, and that's where licensed pay readers can be extremely helpful during those incidents. But, and this is important, the software is the software. The technology itself isn't what creates accountability.

Thus, our police department's responsibility. We have to have the right safeguards in place. We have to have the right policies. And we have to hold people accountable when those policies are not followed. So yes, we can use license plate leaders to help apprehend criminals and self-crimes. But we also have an obligation, I think, is to make sure that they're being used appropriately with the proper oversight and the respect for people's privacies. I think that the concerns of the public are legitimate. I would be just as concerned. But as police officers and the police department, again, we have the obligation to ensure that we have the proper safeguards so that doesn't happen. As you just mentioned, this technology and policing, there is access to information. We have a lot of authority and power. I was told that in 1994 when I took an oath to protect and serve. I have a firearm on my waist. we can take someone's life based on policies, based on, you know, legalities. And so in the same place, we have to have the right safeguards to use technology in order to keep our community safe. And so I think the public needs to understand that license plate readers is just an extra technology that assist us in apprehending those individuals that are part of the criminal element. And it's not everybody. It's that 10%. I've always said it in our city, 95% of the people leave their lives, raise their kids, have a, you know, they contribute to society. But we have those individuals that are part of the criminal element, and the police department has to have the right tools to make the apprehensions. So, but again, it's on us to ensure that we have the right safeguards in place to protect our community's privacy. My dad, I still got a lot of family that lives in the city. And this is something that we speak. And I understand the concerns of the public. But it's on us. And as the chief of police, it's my responsibility to make sure that that happens. You didn't start a business just to keep the lights on. You're here to sell more today than yesterday. You're here to win. Lucky to you, Shopify built the best converting checkout on the planet. Like the just one tapping, ridiculously fast acting, sky high sales stacking, championed checkouts. That's the good stuff right there. So if your business is in it to win it, win with Shopify. Start your free trial today at Shopify.com slash win. Start your day with the morning jolt of Drake Toll. Anywhere in the country. Your home for talking sports. The United States hockey team has four teeth left. What is LeBron James Legacy? Leonel Mess. 906 career goals is stupid. All of it. The Knicks. The Los Angeles Lakers. Aaron Rogers. Georgia football players. The Dolphins. The Mets. As it happened, when it happened. We'll talk all of it. Westwood One Sports Talk. Your home for Drake Toll. Follow and listen on your favorite platform.

Well, Colonel, I've talked to many chiefs throughout the state talking about this issue, and in my opinion, and, you know, again, I'm not in the business anymore, but I'm in the private sector, and I watch this unfold, and I just don't think people are fully informed. I can give examples of people that were adamantly against this because they hear... one piece of it and they believe what they hear. Then when you sit down and talk to him about it, I'm like, wow, I didn't realize that and how important. So to me, it appears that this is turning into a smaller towns don't want it because they feel like it's intrusive. But if there's a homicide in a small town and... When you don't be able, you can't solve it on a robbery or some egregious event, there's expectations, in my opinion, from any citizen matter where you live, that the police to solve it. And so the license plate readers, the technology, look, these are the things that have been made available law enforcement. We want to be, we don't want to be 10 years behind the ballgame. And a good example of this, colonel, is when computer technology changed 20 years ago. And the laws didn't keep up with it. So now we have circumstances now where I think it's important that people like you and other law enforcement professionals can explain what this is and then let people make an informed decision after they know both sides. And I'm not sure that's happening. But, Colonel, I have a call from Jeff and South Kingston. We're both going to take that call. No, no, stay on. And we'll talk it through. Jeff, welcome to the time on-hand show. Oh, yes. Hey, good morning, Colonel and Commander. Just a quick question on the legal liability with these contracts. I asked the question in South Kingston. I'm assuming it's similar in most communities. But who assumes the liability legally in the event of a data breach? I can answer that. You know, when you enter these agreements, the towns or the cities, the same thing. If you were to have a breach at NCIC, it's on the police officer if they've done that, which is on that police department. But what I would tell you is if a police officer violates policy and is outside the scope of their employment, they're not protected by their agencies. They're doing something that's outside their... the scope of their employment. So my answer would be, and I'm not a lawyer, they'd be on their own if they're violating the policy. And I think Colonel Perez made it clear that there's accountability and the policies are pretty strict. You violate them. You're held accountable for it. I'm sorry? Yeah, so that's with respect to how it's being used by the department, but I'm more concerned. Like if we own the data and the data is somehow compromised by a third party, then who assumes that legal liability in the event of a lawsuit? No, it's a good question, but if someone hacks into it, you know, commits a crime to get into that data. McKinley, Jeff, what I had mentioned early, if they did get into the system, what they would get was a picture of a vehicle and a plate. So a picture of a vehicle and a plate, what could that be used for? I don't think, honestly, that's the argument. The argument on the other side of this is...

what happens if they sell that data for something else, like geo-fencing, like where those vehicles are, how that can impact a business where you can sell more cars or you can sell more hamburgers, or if it may be. So legally, if someone hacks into it, how strong is your IT systems? I guess that would be litigation that you didn't protect the data strong enough. Yeah, well, thank you. I agree with that. I appreciate that. All right, Jeff, thank you. Colonel, we have another call. I'm going to take it with you, too, because you're better versed at this than I am. Tom, welcome to the Tara Granhan Show. Hey, Colonel. What I'm talking to... Two colonels here. I'm very thankful I have that opportunity. Hey, listen, I live in Narragansett, but I'm a retired guy from North Providence, and I had an incident that happened to me in Narragansett, and I called the Narragansett police. I was in another state. My ringed doorbell went off. This person was sitting at my stairs. Didn't know who this person was. I called. They responded. I ended up getting pitches from my ring doorbell, and I turned it over to the Narragansett Police Department, who did a wonderful job. Because I couldn't, I got, the car was in the picture, but the plate wasn't in the picture. But based upon the timestamp and I called and all the pictures I sent, they were able to get the plate. Well, lo and behold, they conduct an investigation, find out this person at a mental health issue. Okay? But, you know, most people think because, you know, they would think because I'm a retired guy that the Narragansa Police Department is going to give me all information. They didn't give me any information other than to tell me at the end that it's over. She has this person on a mental health breakdown. It happened in another neighborhood in Narragansett. We had the plate. We took care of it, and that was it. They would not share anything with me because it was a violation of confidentiality, and I respect that because I did that when I was in law enforcement, okay? And South Kingston also, you know, these people are dropping these flock cameras. I mean, look what happened at Brown. We caught the guy at Brown on a flock camera. So, very important. And, you know, I agree what you said, Colonel, both colonels. You know, both agencies, I'm sure, are under Collier, Commission on Law Enforcement standards there. Okay, you're accredited by that agency, most of our police departments. And policies are very strict. And I'm sure the policy for the flock camera is extremely strict as well. Having said that, the data is a problem, I guess. But you can have that data destroyed to the Secretary of State's office based upon the time limit and the timeline on how long you're keeping it, right? Is that in your policies and procedures? Because I know flock came up with all policies and procedures. Yeah, they just changed policy yesterday to seven days, that it's stored for seven days. And again, once again, the data that's stored is a picture of a vehicle, to your point, and or a license plate with it. Again, the issue, I think, from the...

those that believe they're not, law enforcement shouldn't use them, is what happens if that data can be used for something else? And I think to your point is, the police departments own the data. They're the only ones who want access to data, and then making sure that data is not used for sale or anything like that. And it's like everything else, I think as I get in the text line here, talking about fusion centers, real-time crime center, we trust police with, you know, a lot of dedicated information to solve crimes. Somewhere in this process, you have to trust those law enforcement professionals who, to your point, are very, very, there's going to be a mistake somewhere. There's a mistake in every profession. So I hear you loud and clear, Tom, and it's nice talking to you, and I hope things are well for you also. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Colonel, if you want to hang on, I know I cut you short. I have to go to a quick break, and then we'll have you out back for the last five minutes of the show for this hour if you're okay with that. Sure. Thanks. I'm speaking, Colonel Oscar Perez from the province police department about the license plate readers. We're going to take a quick break. The U.S. Soccer Podcast. These players are battered and exhausted, but you don't hurt like this if you don't care about this team, about this country, about this game. You can feel the intensity, the goals, the energy that, wow, look at us. Here in the U.S., I have got some news for you. There's so much more to come. My name is Megan Klingberg, and we're just getting started. The U.S. Soccer Podcast, presented by Henkel. Follow and listen on your favorite platform. Welcome back to the Tara Granahan Show. Steve Oldonnell filling in for Tara. I'm on the line with Colonel Oscar Perez, Province Police Department. We're talking license plate readers. Colonel, welcome back. I'm leading a text line. I want to make sure that... There's two sides to this argument that's heard. And I think you are pretty clear that you understand the concerns about it. So if you can talk to us about that, obviously you support the cameras for obvious reasons, but I want to make sure that it's balanced. And I did have an opportunity. I reached out to the ACLU a couple days ago asking them if they wanted to call in their perspective on it. I never heard back from them. So just talk about... how the citizens perceive it and how as the police chief, you're getting the message out so people understand its uses and the value it has and how you're protecting against abuses. You know, I mentioned before, obviously, when someone calls us, because something happened, and I mentioned, obviously, the Horacekinson and Brown, our priorities to provide them answers. And we need the tools to investigate it. But at the same time, we have to have the right safeguards in place. I think, you know, as I mentioned, the concern of the public is correct. But, you know, we have to have the right policies in place. We have to hold people accountable when those policies are unfollowed.

I stated to you, you know, that software is the software, but it's on us to get it right. It's not just Providence. It's not just in the state of Rhode Island. It's nationwide. I've had the opportunity to travel me with the chiefs of major cities. They've been using it for years. And, I mean, I'll tell you that for us here in Providence. Especially, I think chief of police, I've been to plenty of crimes since. Honestly, when I speak to a mom or a victim or their families, there's nothing more rewarding than being able to give that victim or that family answers. And to be able to tell them, look, we have evidence. We've been able to obtain evidence. We have a car. And we're able to give them some sort of justice. It's because of the tools that we have in place to get those answers and to give them those. that piece of mind. And so it's just technology. But again, again, and this is important. I said it before. Software is software. The technology itself isn't what creates accountability. That's the police department's responsibility. We have plenty of technology. We have plenty of tools. But we have to have the policies in place to ensure. our power is not being abused or used for the wrong reasons. And so it's enough. It's enough to get it right at the end of the day. Nope. Totally understand. So, Coron, appreciate your time and your perspective. Keep doing your thing. And I'm going to move on to a call. And Colonel, have a good day. Be safe. You too, sir. Thank you, bye-bye. The U.S. Soccer Podcast. These players are battered and exhausted, but you don't hurt like this if you don't care about this team, about this country, about this game. I think you can feel the intensity, the goals, the energy that, wow, look at us. Here in the U.S., I have got some news for you. There's so much more to come. My name is Megan Klingberg, and we're just getting started. The U.S. Soccer Podcast, presented by Henkel. Follow and listen on your favorite platform.