Jessica Heger would not pursue license plate readers for now
Candidate for Carver County, Minnesota, sheriff
“At this time, I would not pursue automated license plate readers. Public safety benefits must be weighed against the cost, privacy concerns, data retention, and appropriate oversight. I am not opposed to technology, and remain open to considering it as technology evolves and privacy protections and accountability improve. Any future consideration will include community input and show a public safety benefit, defined policies for data access and retention, responsible use of taxpayer dollars and appropriate oversight. Public safety and public trust are equally important.”
Source and context
Interview
About this source
Sun Patriot candidate questionnaire for the 2026 Carver County, Minnesota, sheriff race, publishing both candidates' unedited written answers.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The Sun Patriot asked both Carver County sheriff candidates what approach the office should take toward Flock cameras and other license plate readers and published their unedited written answers, limited to 100 words each. Her opponent, Chief Deputy Patrick Barry, answered first that he does not support deploying Flock cameras as designed without stronger safeguards and community input.
After the quotation
In a later answer in the same questionnaire, Heger wrote that she has worked patrol, investigations, crime scene team and as a 911 dispatcher, and that she now works for the state's top law enforcement investigative agency.
How this statement is classified
Case context: Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
The label describes this statement’s response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Heger said she would not pursue license plate readers at this time but remains open to them as privacy protections and accountability improve, and she listed conditions for any future use. That is present opposition tied to conditions, which fits Mixed or conditional rather than Condemned.
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- Published here
Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
Explore the case context, sources and public responses.
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