The Kootenai County Commissioners had their meeting on August 28, 2024, and voted on Sheriff Norris’ budget for 2025 to include funds for 36 new vehicle License Plate Reader (LPR) software, (The LPR hardware was purchased previously without our knowledge or consent.)  Norris has been using the LPR software on a demo status for a number of months and has been collecting data on the residents of Kootenai without our knowledge or consent.  The data collected by these LPRs is stored by Motorola and can be sold to three letter agencies, foreign entities, big corporations etc.and is being collected for our social credit scores.During the meeting Norris claimed that he can protect our information but there is no way he will be able to do this because this data will be sold  and is also susceptible to being hacked.  . 

During the meeting residents filled the room and there was a steady flow of testimony in opposition of the LPRs with only one testifying for the LPRs and it was Norris’ deputy.  The vote was two to one with Commissioners Leslie Duncan and Bruce Mattare voting for the budget to include funds for the LPRs software and Commissioner Bill Brooks voting against the budget. During the commissioner meeting Mattare admitted that his personal vehicle has license plate shields to protect his license number from being read.  Mattare stated that he opposes surveillance and this is his way of protesting yet he voted for Norris’ budget that includes the funds for the LPR software.

The LPRs are not a done deal.  The funds for the LPR software will require another County Commissioners’ vote in order to release these funds and at that meeting the residents can once again voice their opposition. The date for this vote is not yet known.  Will our elected officials finally hear the voice of the people?  . 

Please contact the Commissioners to express your opposition to this mass surveillance and continue to pressure them into voting this down. You can call the Commissioners at (208)446-1600 or email them at:

1.  Bruce Mattare: bmattare@kcgov.us

2.  Leslie Duncan: lduncan@kcgov.us

3.  Bill Brooks:  bbrooks@kcgov.us