ADEL, Iowa — The Dallas County Sheriff’s office will delay its deployment of license plate reader (LPR) cameras after the first one they placed was vandalized.
“We did have one stand-alone LPR in the 20000 block of Old Highway 6,” Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante told ThePerryNews.com Tuesday. “I can confirm that it was vandalized and is no longer being used.”
Infante did not indicate how long the camera was in place before it was vandalized or the nature and extent of the damage because those details are part of the ongoing investigation. He said further deployment would be paused.
“We are not deploying any of our LPRs in the county or in the cities within Dallas County at this time,” Infante said. “We are going to wait and see how the Iowa Legislature deals with the issue during the next legislative session and then reevaluate from there.”
The DCSO announced its pause Aug. 11 and was followed Aug. 14 by Waukee Police Chief Chad McCluskey, who said his department was ending its contract with the LPR company Flock Safety while it awaits direction from the Iowa Legislature.
Sheriff Infante said he favors using the LPR technology in fighting crime.
“I want to make clear that this decision is not because I don’t believe in the technology,” he said. “I believe fixed LPRs are a very effective tool in both solving and preventing crime. We have seen it firsthand right here in Dallas County.”
The sheriff, who has held office since 2022, said he also understands the privacy concerns raised by the technology and the public’s growing fear of a surveillance state.
“I understand the public’s concerns and distrust regarding these devices,” he said. “I ultimately work for the people we serve, and I think it is important that we listen to them. Given the amount of concern we have heard, I believe it is reasonable to pause, see what direction the state takes and then make a decision about how we move forward.”
Perry would have been the first town in Dallas County to accept the sheriff’s LPRs. Perry Police Chief Jim Archer told the Perry City Council June 30 about an agreement with the DCSO that would have seen Perry receive some of the 30 LPRs the sheriff’s office received in the most recent contract with Motorola Solutions Inc.
“For me, this is really about finding the right balance,” Infante said. “I believe the technology can help us protect the public and solve crimes, but I also believe maintaining the public’s trust is extremely important. For now, I think waiting to see what the legislature does and then reevaluating is the right thing to do.”
Under a bill considered during the last term of the Iowa Legislature, law enforcement agencies would have to delete license plate images after 30 days unless they were needed for an investigation. Law enforcement would also have to record why they searched for each image. The legislature tightly restricted the use of traffic cameras in 2024.