1. United States
  2. Md.
  3. Letter

Block ELSAG SignalTrace Deployment in Our Community

To: Sen. Van Hollen, Rep. Elfreth, Sen. Alsobrooks

From: A verified voter in Arnold, MD

July 6

Stop the deployment of ELSAG SignalTrace in our jurisdiction. This system, built by defence contractor Leonardo, doesn't just read license plates — it vacuums up wireless signals from every electronic device inside a passing vehicle: phones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, key fobs, even pet microchips. It builds a unique "electronic fingerprint" tied to a specific car and stores it for later analysis. No warrant. No notice. No opt-out. What makes this especially alarming is how it gets deployed. SignalTrace is an add-on to cameras already installed under existing contracts, meaning law enforcement agencies can activate mass device-tracking without new procurement, without a public vote, and potentially without city council approval. Leonardo's own marketing headline reads: "Identify Suspects by the Electronic Devices They Use." Every resident who drives past one of these cameras gets swept up — not suspects, not people under investigation, just ordinary people going about their lives. I want you to act now: demand a full audit of any existing ELSAG camera contracts in our area, close any loopholes that allow capability expansions without council approval, and introduce legislation requiring explicit public authorization before any device-signal collection technology goes live. Our privacy rights don't disappear the moment we get in a car.

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