The case appears to be the first instance of criminal charges against a doctor accused of sending abortion pills to another state, at least since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and opened the door for states to have strict anti-abortion laws.
Again, assuming LPR software has even the most basic database functionality, the whole process can be entirely automated and void of human interaction at all once the plate is flagged. The biggest thing would be if they got a hit saying that NY plate 123-ABC is currently on I-95, would the state troopers bother heading out to pull him over? And if you’re the doctor, would you want to risk your own freedom taking the chance? And if the answer to that is no, then you’re essentially trapping yourself in your own state, or even your own area if you’re in a purple state where some counties are more willing to cooperate than others. And to the GOP, that in and of itself would be just fine. They’d still essentially win.
It isn’t about database functionality, it’s about information sharing across jurisdictions and state lines. There isn’t a national police force, different precincts use different methods. States have highway patrol, local PD, sheriff’s, etc. It isn’t just saying “look for plate NY-A447 338” and every camera across the nation checks for it. Additionally, not every Dept and precinct is going to have resources to throw at catching a random Dr because Louisiana is pissy about stuff. There also would, presumably, be some planned lack of cooperation across some states and potentially intra-state departments. Different places prioritize different crimes to chase. New York obviously won’t be extraditing him, and I imagine similarly for other Northeast states surround NY, as well as “blue” city precincts.
I’m sure the Dr is questioning traveling and stuff; but that’s wasn’t what I was trying to discuss; it was merely the concept of a national surveillance system monitoring one individual on behalf of a single state (or group of randomly spaced states) throwing resources after a political win, and the necessary cooperation across dozens and dozens of different state and local departments, in pursuit of this one individual.