Warwick police stop accepting Motel 6 guest list
By The Associated Press
WARWICK, R.I. (AP) _ Warwick’s police chief says his department has stopped accepting a daily guest list from a city motel they were using to investigate crime.
Chief Stephen McCartney says the program has been stopped because he was concerned about the legal ramifications.
The program allowed Motel 6 managers to give police the names of guests so police could check for outstanding warrants. It aimed to curb frequent criminal activity at the motel.
McCartney says he was also concerned about the lists becoming public record. He says police will still go to the motel and check the list if they have reasonable suspicion.
The ACLU of Rhode Island protested the program when it started and said it was an invasion of privacy.
(C) The Associated Press 2015
