Rotary Club of Durango
Strater Hotel
DESCRIPTION
Dr. Benjamin Waddell will talk about "Watching Durango: Public Safety, Privacy, and the Rise of Mass Surveillance."
Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are transforming American policing, raising important questions about privacy, constitutional rights, and the balance between public safety and personal freedom. Drawing on Durango’s ongoing debate over surveillance technology, this presentation examines how ALPRs work, the potential consequences of collecting and storing residents’ movements, and the risks associated with sharing this information across law enforcement agencies. Ultimately, the talk invites community members to consider what responsible policing and meaningful government accountability should look like in a democratic society.
Dr. Benjamin Waddell is a professor of Sociology and Criminology at Fort Lewis College. His forthcoming book, The Migrant Trap, examines the human consequences of immigration enforcement and the institutions that shape the lives of migrants and their families.
Free. Visitors welcome.
Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are transforming American policing, raising important questions about privacy, constitutional rights, and the balance between public safety and personal freedom. Drawing on Durango’s ongoing debate over surveillance technology, this presentation examines how ALPRs work, the potential consequences of collecting and storing residents’ movements, and the risks associated with sharing this information across law enforcement agencies. Ultimately, the talk invites community members to consider what responsible policing and meaningful government accountability should look like in a democratic society.
Dr. Benjamin Waddell is a professor of Sociology and Criminology at Fort Lewis College. His forthcoming book, The Migrant Trap, examines the human consequences of immigration enforcement and the institutions that shape the lives of migrants and their families.
Free. Visitors welcome.