April 20, 2021 A long-delayed debate over the use of license plate reader technology on Nashville's public streets returns to Metro Council on Tuesday night with competing arguments over privacy versus over-policing. Subscribe License plate readers—typically mounted on road signs, bridges, traffic poles and police cars —can capture thousands of digital license plate images each minute. Those images can be transmitted to law enforcement for various purposes, including catching speeders and stolen cars, solving crimes and responding to Amber and Silver Alerts for missing children and seniors. The technology appears to be widely used, though data is scarce. A years-old survey found more than 70% of police departments across the country have or plan to use the technology and private subdivisions and neighborhood associations have also installed the cameras.