S&K Gaming recently installed Artificial Intelligence-powered automated license plate readers — a technology that has faced nationwide scrutiny — at the Kwataqnuk Resort & Casino and at both major casinos on the Flathead Indian Reservation.  

These Genetec AutoVu Cloudrunner cameras are not typical security cameras that record an overview of the surroundings. Instead, they are placed at entry choke points to capture a vehicle, including its make, model, color and license plate.  

Genetec AutoVu Cloudrunner's pitch is simple: it collects “vehicle-based evidence,” provides searchable data and delivers real-time alerts. And Genetec is just one of the many companies providing this type of security technology.  

Ultimately, license plate readers can help law enforcement solve crimes quicker, and Genetec notes on its website that its cameras have improved parking enforcement efforts at airports, stadiums and across entire cities.  

S&K Gaming CEO Bryon Miller said these license-plate readers are “just one additional piece to the surveillance system.” He explained that the company’s surveillance system is probably the largest and most sophisticated in this region, with hundreds of cameras networked across the company.  

S&K Gaming is a tribal entity that functions under a board of directors and answers to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.  

“It’s a complement to what we do,” Miller said. “We monitor your activities and record your activities from the time you come to our properties to the time you leave.”  

Miller noted that the S&K Gaming security system isn’t entirely these license plate reader cameras; it also includes security cameras that continuously record.  

Genetec, a security software company headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, launched Cloudrunner in 2022. It is one of many companies that provide license-plate reader technology to law enforcement, government entities, private communities and businesses.  

In fact, according to New York Times reporting, license-plate reader cameras led to the arrest of a man who threatened a mass shooting in Louisiana and helped locate a man eventually convicted in an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump.  

However, Genetec, its more well-known competitor, Flock Safety, and others have received heavy criticism from civil liberty groups, which claim these companies lack “transparency, oversight and regulation” in how they collect, store and use data.  

So, why has this technology sparked debate? 

One key aspect contributing to the controversy around license-plate reader technology across the United States is how its data is collected, shared and accessed.  

Flock Safety, one of the nation's most prominent license-plate reader providers, has faced criticism over privacy, data sharing and documented cases of law enforcement misuse, such as stalking previous romantic partners. These issues have spawned a broader debate over the use of license-plate reader technology.  

According to New York Times reporting, criticism of Flock’s cameras has also intensified as the Trump administration carried out immigration crackdowns. Flock fought against claims that it was sharing data with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Flock website blog added that ICE doesn’t have direct access to the data collected by Flock and noted communities “control federal data access.”  

However, the Times and AP News have reported incidents in which Customs and Border Protection had access to, or shared data with, this agency, including data searched for “potential immigration-related purposes.”  

Some entities have scrapped their contracts with Flock to utilize Genetec Cloudrunner for better data security. According to a Stanford Daily story, Genetec stores data for one hour in its cloud before transferring it to the user's server.  

Genetec’s website stated that its Cloudrunner release allows organizations to securely share and manage data, including who has access to it.  

While Flock is Genetec’s better-known competitor and has become the face of public controversy surrounding license-plate reader technology, concerns over privacy and potential misuse extend beyond a single company. 

Data and monitoring  

Miller said S&K Gaming stores their data on their own cloud-based platform. He added that S&K does not receive identifiable personal information and that no information is shared outside the company.  

Miller further explained that “Genetec is not associated with any third-party information sharing network.” While Genetec doesn’t operate a nationwide database, its Cloudrunner system allows users to establish partners with whom they can share data.   

Miller noted that they have large, well-lit parking lots, but they are not heavily patrolled. He said their parking lots have hundreds of cars and utilizing these cameras can help them identify the year, make, model or color of a car involved in a possible incident.  

“All they do is add on a layer of information to the license plate,” Miller said.  

He added that advanced technologies are how casinos protect themselves.  

CSKT communications director Rob McDonald explained that the questions around this private security company's license-plate readers are who owns that data, how long it's kept and who can access it. As of Aug. 6, he reported that CSKT Tribal Government has not entered into any serious discussion about these cameras.  

McDonald said tribal law enforcement is not using these cameras, and S&K Gaming is the only tribal entity he is aware of that is dabbling in them.  

State law limitations  

Under state law, license-plate readers for camera data collection, use, retention and sharing are strictly regulated. Cities may use them for parking enforcement, and law enforcement may use them if it provides written public policy detailing how the system is used.  

Law enforcement can also use these cameras in Montana for specific purposes, such as finding stolen vehicles or locating wanted or endangered people.  

Polson Police Chief George Simpson confirmed that the City of Polson is not using facial recognition technology or license-plate readers in any of its law enforcement technology.  

Although these four license-plate reader cameras in Polson are owned by a tribal entity and are on tribal property, they fall within the jurisdiction of the Polson Police Department, but Simpson explained that his agency must ensure any technology or information it relies on complies with Montana law and can withstand judicial scrutiny.  

“At this time, integrating or relying on these technologies would present significant legal and evidentiary concerns,” Simpson stated in an email to the Leader.  

He added that the use of these license plate readers or facial recognition technology at tribal entities is a decision governed by tribal law that falls within the jurisdiction of the CSKT Tribal Government.  

“The Polson Police Department respects the sovereignty of the CSKT and values our cooperative working relationship,” Simpson added.  

Because of differences in city and tribal legal authorities and evidentiary rules, Simpson stated these systems could present legal or evidentiary challenges if introduced in proceedings outside tribal jurisdiction.  

“For that reason, the Polson Police Department does not rely on data generated by those systems as part of our investigations,” he stated. “That said, we greatly value our partnership with S&K Gaming and remain committed to working together through established legal processes and traditional investigative methods.”  

Simpson said that if information from the license-plate reader becomes relevant to a particular investigation, they would evaluate it on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law and the specific facts of the case. 

Naysayers worry about threats to civil liberties 

However, concerns about license-plate reader security persist nationwide, with dedicated websites, like DeFlock, created to raise public awareness. Additionally, these cameras have frequently been vandalized, damaged or destroyed across the country.  

According to the DeFlock website, the cameras pose “a serious risk to your privacy and civil liberties" by “continuously recording your movements without a warrant, probable cause or even reasonable suspicion.”  

According to a map on the website, only a small number of these AI-powered cameras, manufactured by Flock and others, are located in Montana. In addition to casino locations on the Flathead Reservation, the map shows locations in Kalispell, Missoula, Great Falls, Helena and Billings, as well as a few more rural sites.