Jury awards $76 to driver in bogus traffic stop case

A jury has awarded $76 to a driver who sued Bexar County after being subjected to a traffic stop and drug search that was initiated based on an automated license plate reader (ALPR) hit. The Institute for Justice (IJ), which represented the driver, Alek Schott, argued that the stop was a violation of constitutional rights.

According to IJ, footage from Schott's dashcam showed he did not drift lanes, and bodycam footage from the deputy indicated the drug dog handler signaled the dog before it alerted. Despite the dog's alert, no drugs or contraband were found during the thorough search of Schott's truck. Schott was detained for 76 minutes.

Schott's attorneys stated that the case was about the Constitution, not the money. IJ plans to ask the court to prevent Bexar County from using baseless traffic stops for warrantless searches and to enforce this precedent across Texas. Josh Windham, one of Schott's attorneys, described the incident as an example of mass surveillance, where an AI-powered camera flagged a plate, an anonymous agent deemed an ordinary trip suspicious, and a deputy initiated a search for a non-existent violation.

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, which uses Flock Safety cameras, declined to comment. Critics of license plate readers, including Jake Laperruque of the Center for Democracy and Technology, noted that this case exemplifies concerns about ALPR surveillance. Laperruque stated that while vendors promise improved public safety, the reality can be a threat to civil liberties, with potential for improper stops and abuse of the technology if not properly regulated.