Midwest Transparency Audit
Because government operates best in the light.
Missouri Dept of Transportation (MoDOT) Sunshine Request Data
Missouri Department of Transportation: ALPR Infrastructure Oversight Audit This page contains the compliance findings and operational disclosures obtained via Sunshine Law requests from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) regarding state-level oversight of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) networks on state highways.
Executive Overview:
In July 2026, Midwest Transparency Audit initiated a probe into the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to determine the extent of state-level oversight, auditing, and financial tracking of localized ALPR networks deployed on state-owned right-of-ways. Our audit reveals a critical gap in state surveillance oversight: MoDOT officially acknowledges that while it permits the physical installation of private ALPR hardware on state infrastructure, the state exercises zero operational oversight, conducts no system audits, and maintains no visibility into the inter-agency data sharing occurring on those state highways.
Procurement & Oversight Breakdown
The state's official response exposes a decentralized, unmonitored approach to regional surveillance:
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The "Right-of-Way" Loophole: MoDOT officially confirmed on the record: "MoDOT does not maintain or have access to any data from the Flock cameras. We merely permit their installation on state right of way."
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Zero State Auditing: MoDOT confirmed it does not possess or conduct state-level compliance audits, oversight reviews, or login tracking for municipal ALPR systems deployed on its infrastructure.
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The Accountability Shift: By legally confirming that "any data requests would need to be made directly to the law enforcement agency that operates the cameras," the state has officially deferred all surveillance accountability to localized, city-by-city record custodians.
The Sunshine Law Battle: Audit Timeline
The documentation traces a highly revealing public records inquiry regarding state-level surveillance infrastructure:
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July 13, 2026: Midwest Transparency Audit submitted a formal public records request to MoDOT. To eliminate broad search delays, the request specifically targeted grant funding, compliance audits, data-sharing matrices, and user login logs strictly related to Ray County, Lafayette County, Odessa, Richmond, and Higginsville.
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July 13, 2026: MoDOT Commission Secretary Jennifer Jorgensen acknowledged the request, assigned it tracking number R011450-071326, and initiated the state's internal legal review process.
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August 11, 2026: Following a nearly month-long legal review, MoDOT Senior Paralegal Gari Luttrell provided the agency's final determination. MoDOT waived all clerical fees and closed the request, officially citing that the state holds no data, sharing matrices, or audit logs for the surveillance equipment installed on its right-of-ways.
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The Current Status: The MoDOT audit is officially closed. This state-level admission validates Midwest Transparency Audit's localized operational model: because the state does not monitor the digital surveillance dragnet deployed on its own highways, aggressive, city-by-city Sunshine Law auditing remains the only mechanism for public accountability.