Is Big Brother really watching you?

Three Victoria privacy advocates have spent the past two years trying to answer that question, digging up scraps of information on a controversial police technology called the automated licence plate recognition system.

B次元官网网址淲e have been stymied at every level,B次元官网网址� said Chris Parsons, a University of Victoria PhD candidate specializing in privacy issues.

The device uses police cruiser-mounted cameras to automatically capture up to 3,000 licence plates per hour. It then notifies officers of a B次元官网网址渉itB次元官网网址� on uninsured and prohibited owners, as well as stolen vehicles.

The technology is used throughout British Columbia and is administered by the RCMP. In Greater Victoria, VicPD, Saanich police and the Integrated Road Safety Unit use it regularly.

What makes the program so concerning is critics say data collected from B次元官网网址渘on-hitB次元官网网址� vehicles is kept on encrypted RCMP servers for two years. Although itB次元官网网址檚 not used, the information could be referenced for investigative purposes to retrace vehicle movements.

The RCMP insists such actions are not taking place, but the Mountie in charge of the program, Supt. Denis Boucher, said his office is considering expanding the program.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 called function creep,B次元官网网址� Parsons said. B次元官网网址淭hat means every citizen that drives, (police) want to be able to track who they are and where theyB次元官网网址檙e at.B次元官网网址�

Parsons said the information is already being cross-referenced with child custody and other court records unrelated to driving infractions, but Boucher denies this.

B次元官网网址淚t doesnB次元官网网址檛 flag somebody simply because heB次元官网网址檚 got a criminal record,B次元官网网址� Boucher said. B次元官网网址淭hese are for hits where we have outstanding action to be taken against an individual.B次元官网网址�

To resolve these concerns, Parsons and fellow researchers Bruce Wipond and Kevin McArthur submitted their findings to B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Office of the  Information and Privacy Commissioner, which set in motion an investigation into VicPDB次元官网网址檚 use of the technology.

Because the RCMP is outside of provincial jurisdiction, commissioner Elizabeth DenhamB次元官网网址檚 investigation is limited in scope to municipal police services.

B次元官网网址淭he investigation will look at general questions like what kind of information (VicPD) are collecting, how are they using it, is it retained or disclosed to anybody?B次元官网网址� said Cara McGregor, privacy commissioner spokesperson.

Saanich police purchased a plate reader of its own this year and it has been in operation for a couple months.

Sgt. Dean Jantzen said the device has B次元官网网址減roven its worthB次元官网网址� in the time itB次元官网网址檚 been in operation. B次元官网网址淚t generates a lot of activity for our traffic safety officers,B次元官网网址� he said.

Jantzen, though not trained on the machine, reaffirmed that B次元官网网址渘on-hitB次元官网网址� data is never used.

B次元官网网址淎s long as youB次元官网网址檙e not a suspended driver, that your licence is in good standing, that you have valid insurance, thereB次元官网网址檚 no reason youB次元官网网址檒l ever come into conflict with this device,B次元官网网址� he said.

DenhamB次元官网网址檚 report is due to be published next month and will be the first privacy review of the technology in Canada.

In a statement, VicPD Chief Const. Jamie Graham said Automated Licence Plate Recognition is an B次元官网网址渋ncredibly important application that directly contributes to improved road safety.B次元官网网址�

VicPD, which began using the program in March 2011, is co-operating with the investigation and has developed internal policies to govern the use of the device, department spokesman Mike Tucker said.

B次元官网网址� with files from Kyle Slavin and Jeff Nagel

dpalmer@vicnews.com