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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAn early paragraph in last week’s lead story [“Neighborhood groups may be scanning your license plate”] shocked me, when [it said] the system will alert the association when a stolen plate is revealed. Therefore, HOAs, under the assumption here, are responsible for policing stolen vehicles.
From first grade to 12th grade, law enforcement officers came to our schools and stated: “Never take law enforcement into your own hands.”
That rule has been abandoned by millions of people who want to carry concealed weapons, and now by ordinary citizens who want to respond to computer-generated license plate alerts, and who, simultaneously, feel more secure based on a few anecdotal cases in which digital recognition solves a crime.
Just as I resigned when [my HOA board] voted, in effect, to accept liability for amateur-launched fireworks, I also would resign if our board, directly or indirectly, accepts generalized law enforcement responsibilities.
We are walking into a minefield.
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John Guy
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Though I understand you position, if HOA’s want to provide a level of security to there neighborhoods then I see no issue. The issue is that NO ONE show up to HOA meeting to participate only to complain. I think the liability issues would prohibit many HOA’s from taking this action.
But we should all be vigilant for our own safety, when seconds count the police are minutes away.