EDITOR:
As surveillance technology continues to advance, I believe Platte County should proactively establish a public governance framework governing any mass surveillance technology operating within Platte County.
Before any additional mass surveillance technology is acquired, contracted for, deployed, or expanded within Platte County, the county commission should first establish a comprehensive public governance framework defining the lawful limits of its use.
Technology capable of collecting, aggregating, and retaining information regarding the movements and activities of large numbers of law-abiding citizens raises significant constitutional, privacy, and civil liability concerns. These concerns should be addressed through public policy adopted by the county’s elected governing body, not solely through vendor agreements, administrative decisions, or internal departmental procedures.
At a minimum, the public should know:
*What information may be collected.
*How long information may be retained.
*Who is authorized to access the data.
*Under what circumstances the data may be searched.
*With whom the data may be shared.
*What auditing exists to detect misuse or unauthorized access.
*What penalties exist for misuse of surveillance data.
*What independent oversight and public reporting will occur.
Without clearly adopted public policies, the county risks creating systems where sensitive information is retained indefinitely, accessed without meaningful accountability, or used in ways never contemplated when the technology was implemented. Even a single misuse of surveillance data by a bad actor could expose Platte County to significant legal liability while undermining the public’s trust in its government.
The purpose of government is not only to provide for public safety, but also to safeguard the constitutional liberties of the people it serves. Those objectives are not mutually exclusive. Transparent policies, adopted through an open public process before surveillance technologies are implemented, help ensure both are achieved.
Government accountability should evolve alongside technology rather than after problems arise. I encourage the Platte County Commission to place this issue on a future agenda and consider adopting a countywide surveillance governance policy before any additional surveillance technologies are approved or expanded.
--Andrew Champlain
Platte County
