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SALT LAKE CITY — A suspect in the killings of three women in southern Utah was captured in Colorado early Thursday morning through a network of license plate recognition cameras — technology that has become increasingly common across the country and is debated among citizens concerned about privacy implications. The arrest is one of several recent cases aided by license plate recognition, or LPR cameras. The cameras, which automatically scan and log vehicle plates, are positioned along roads throughout Utah, but most prevalently in cities. “This tool is a vital tool for law enforcement,” said Utah Department of Public Safety Chief of Investigations Tanner Jensen. Jensen says LPR systems allow investigators to identify and locate vehicles tied to ongoing cases — something that otherwise typically depends on an officer spotting the right car at the right moment. “Unless an officer or trooper sees that car and is able to get behind that car and see that license plate, it’s very difficult to identify an individual that perhaps is fleeing,” he said. But the expanding use of LPR technology has raised questions about how much data cities collect and who has access to it. In Provo, concerns escalated in January when a resident argued that the city’s participation in the Flock Safety camera network contributed to “a national mass surveillance network” that could affect anyone traveling along major roads, regardless of whether they are suspected of a crime. In response, Provo city officials have scheduled a public work session for March 10 to address the issue, answer questions and outline local policies governing camera use. Still, the camera systems are responsible for several recent investigative wins. In Orem last year, police used Flock cameras to track down the owner of a blue motorcycle who took off and evaded police after driving recklessly. In Ogden on Tuesday, the system alerted officers to a stolen SUV. Inside was a wanted homicide suspect out of Nevada. Investigators took the man into custody in Roy. And in Colorado on Thursday, LPR cameras also led to the capture of Ivan Miller, 22, the suspect accused of the killings of three women in Wayne County on Wednesday. "We definitely understand the privacy concerns and what some of our stakeholders have reservations about when it comes to this technology," said Jensen. "But when that public safety incident occurs, it's so valuable and you see the community rally around law enforcement's ability to quickly apprehend a violent individual." Jensen emphasized that Utah law restricts how LPR systems can be used. Officers must have an active investigation and case number before searching for a vehicle in the system.
