Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) Program

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Redwood City is committed to protecting both public safety and individual privacy. In recent weeks, questions have been raised about Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology. We want to provide clear information about how this system operates in Redwood City and what steps are underway moving forward.

How the System Operates

Redwood City’s fixed-location ALPR cameras are used by the Redwood City Police Department as an investigative tool. The system operates under California law and established Department safeguards, including:

  • A 30-day data retention period
  • Controlled and audited access limited to authorized personnel
  • Restrictions on data-sharing
  • Regular transparency reporting

ALPR technology has assisted our officers in recovering stolen vehicles, locating missing persons, and identifying suspects in serious crimes. It is one tool among many used to enhance public safety.

Upcoming Review Process

The City’s current agreement with Flock Safety, which provides Redwood City’s fixed-location ALPR camera system, expires in 2026. In advance, the City is conducting a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) process to evaluate available vendors and technology options.

Prior to issuing the RFP, this item was presented to the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) for discussion and input. An update on this topic will be presented to the PAC at its meeting on August 12, 2026.

Our Commitment

Redwood City remains committed to thoughtful evaluation, strong oversight, and alignment with community values. Public safety and individual privacy are not competing priorities. They are shared responsibilities we take seriously.

We appreciate the community’s engagement on this topic and will continue to provide updates as this process moves forward.


Mayor's Statement

Recent questions about Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology have understandably raised concerns in communities across California. I want our residents to know that Redwood City takes both public safety and privacy seriously.

The Redwood City Police Department’s ALPR system operates under California law and established Department safeguards, including a 30-day retention period, controlled access, regular audits, and public transparency reporting. Federal agencies are not granted access to the City’s ALPR system.

Since becoming operational, this system has proven to be a valuable investigative tool, helping our officers recover stolen vehicles, locate missing persons, and identify suspects in serious crimes. We remain committed to strong oversight and ongoing evaluation to ensure it continues to be used appropriately and responsibly. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR)? 

An Automated License Plate Reader, or ALPR, is a public-safety technology that captures digital images of vehicle license plates and makes the plate number and certain vehicle characteristics searchable by authorized law enforcement personnel. ALPR provides real-time alerts when a license plate is associated with an active law enforcement investigation. It also permits limited searches of a 30-day record of vehicle photographs when vehicle-related leads are developed during an on-going investigation.  

Why does Redwood City Police Department use ALPRs? 

The Redwood City Police Department (RCPD) uses ALPR technology to support criminal investigations and help locate vehicles associated with crimes, missing or at-risk persons, and other legitimate law enforcement purposes. 

ALPR can help officers: 

  • Locate stolen and wanted vehicles in real time; 

  • Find missing and at-risk community members and victims; 

  • Identify vehicles and develop leads associated with violent crimes; and 

  • Act quickly to protect victims and recover time-sensitive evidence. 

What public-safety benefits have RCPD’s ALPR program produced? 

RCPD’s ALPR program has assisted with numerous serious criminal investigations and missing-person cases. 

Examples include: 

  • Identifying a vehicle associated with a March 2026 double shooting; 

  • Locating a missing 90-year-old resident with health concerns in August 2025; 

  • Identifying a suspect vehicle connected to a September 2024 shooting homicide; 

  • Helping identify and locate a serial mail-theft suspect in July 2025; 

  • Locating a woman who had been forced into a vehicle during a violent domestic-violence incident in August 2025, allowing officers to safely recover the victim and arrest the suspect; and 

  • Identifying the suspect vehicle within hours of a 2026 fatal hit-and-run, allowing officers to locate and seize the vehicle before critical evidence could be destroyed. 

How long has RCPD used Flock Safety's ALPR system? 

The City entered into its contract with Flock Group Inc. (Flock Safety) in September 2023. The first ALPR cameras were installed, and the ALPR program went live, in December 2023. 

The City's current contract with Flock Safety expires in 2026. RCPD is conducting a competitive procurement process, and staff expects to bring a recommendation regarding future ALPR technology to the City Council in fall 2026. 

How long does the RCPD retain ALPR data? 

ALPR data is automatically purged from the ALPR system database after 30 days. If a record is considered as evidence in a specific criminal investigation or must otherwise be retained for a legitimate law-enforcement purpose, it is manually removed from the ALPR database and transferred to a separate evidence-management system with independent user roles, permissions, and access controls. 

Who can search RCPD's ALPR system database? 

Access is limited to authorized and trained law enforcement personnel in nine Bay Area counties. User accounts have individual, role-based permissions to ensure appropriate levels of access. 

All database searches are also tracked using "reason" and "case number" fields, which allow the RCPD to validate searches and audit use of the database. 

Does RCPD share ALPR data with out of state or federal agencies such as ICE or CBP? 

No. RCPD has never authorized sharing its ALPR data with federal or out-of-state agencies. Since February 2026, the RCPD’s ALPR sharing configuration has been limited to law enforcement agencies within the nine Bay Area counties.  

Is ALPR data used for immigration enforcement? 

No. California law prohibits local law enforcement agencies from sharing ALPR data with federal or out-of-state agencies, and prohibits local and state resources, data, or databases — including ALPR systems — from being used to assist federal immigration enforcement authorities (such as ICE or CBP). 

RCPD's current ALPR sharing configuration is limited to law enforcement agencies within the nine Bay Area counties. The Redwood City Police Department does not independently engage in immigration enforcement.  

What is the statewide lookup tool? 

Flock Safety’s statewide lookup tool is an opt-in ALPR search function that allows a limited search for license plates across participating law enforcement agencies statewide.  

In February 2026, RCPD proactively opted out of Flock Safety's statewide lookup tool to ensure that any vendor-side data sharing is done in compliance with a new RCPD practice limiting access to law enforcement agencies in the nine Bay Area counties.  

Do ALPR cameras photograph drivers and passengers, or only vehicles and license plates? 

RCPD’s ALPR cameras are designed and positioned to capture license plates and vehicle characteristics, such as make, model, body style and color. 

As with any roadway camera, portions of a vehicle or its surroundings may occasionally appear in an image, but the system’s purpose is centered on license plates and vehicles. 

RCPD’s ALPR system does not use facial-recognition technology and cannot search for or identify a person based on facial or other biometric information.  

What data does an ALPR system database include? 

ALPR cameras capture digital images of license plates and associated metadata, including camera location and timestamp. The software makes the license-plate characters and vehicle description searchable and may identify characteristics such as make, model, body style, or color.  

If an image later is considered as evidence, or needs to be otherwise retained, it is manually downloaded from the ALPR system database and uploaded into a separate evidence management database with independent access controls, permissions, and user access roles.  

Can a police officer search the ALPR system without providing a reason or case number? 

No. Previously, RCPD's ALPR system tracked searches using "reason" and "case number" fields for validation, and authorized users were required to complete both fields. Due to a vendor update in early 2026 to the user interface, authorized users are now required to select the “offense type” from a drop-down menu and enter either a police report number or incident number into the “reason” field.  Compliance with these requirements is monitored monthly and access is limited to authorized, trained personnel with role-based permissions. 

Can other Bay Area law enforcement agencies search RCPD's ALPR data? 

Yes, but it is subject to restrictions under state law.  Since February 2026, RCPD has limited sharing to law enforcement agencies within the nine Bay Area counties and has opted out of Flock Safety's statewide lookup tool. During a search, the authorized user can select which cameras they want to search, and either search by license plate or vehicle description.  

How does RCPD monitor the use of the ALPR system database? 

The Police Department conducts reviews every 30 days for policy controls and ensures compliance with the data sharing requirements. 

What state laws and policies govern Redwood City Police Department's use of ALPR? 

ALPR systems in California are regulated under California Civil Code §1798.90.5 through §1798.90.55. This law requires agencies that use ALPR technology to: 

  • Adopt a publicly available usage policy 

  • Limit access to authorized users 

  • Maintain reasonable security procedures to protect data 

  • Track and log all system access 

  • Prohibit the sale, sharing, or transfer of ALPR information except as authorized by law. 

Each California law enforcement agency, consistent with California Government Code Sections 7282, 7282.5, and 7284.8 (b) (the California Trust Act and the California Values Act), works to ensure that databases are governed in a manner that limits the availability of information therein to the fullest extent practicable and consistent with federal and state law, to anyone or any entity for the purpose of immigration enforcement. 

In addition to state law requirements, pursuant to California Civil Code § 1798.90.51, RCPD has adopted Policy 427, which establishes Department-specific procedures, oversight, access controls, retention standards, and accountability measures governing how ALPR technology is used locally. 

While many laws might be applicable in one way or another, two particularly relevant state laws are SB 34 and SB 54. 

SB 34 (passed 2015, effective 2016):  

  • Prohibits California law enforcement agencies from sharing ALPR data with any agencies, including federal entities, outside of California, or with federal entities located inside of California. 

  • Requires public agencies operating ALPR systems to adopt a formal, written usage and privacy policy with public comment before implementation. 

  • Mandates tracking and recording logs of who accesses the collected data to prevent unauthorized internal or external use. 

SB 54 “California Values Act” (passed 2017, effective 2018) 

  • Prohibits local and state resources, data, or databases—including ALPR registries—from being used to assist federal immigration enforcement authorities (such as ICE or CBP). 

What additional transparency measures is the RCPD considering? 

RCPD is exploring several ways to make information regarding the ALPR program more readily available to the public. 

Initiatives under consideration include: 

  • Establishing a designated point of contact and published process for residents to ask questions about the ALPR program; 

  • Conducting periodic, in-depth reviews of searches, access records, and sharing settings, with findings presented to the Police Advisory Committee (PAC); and 

  • Providing agency-sharing information to the PAC and discussing proposed sharing with new agencies before implementation. 

Does Flock Safety own RCPD’s ALPR data? 

Under the current contract between Flock Safety and the City, RCPD retains ownership of all City data and no City data can be sold to any 3rd party.  

Can Flock Safety decide which agencies receive access to RCPD's data? 

No. Flock Safety cannot disclose RCPD’s data to any other party, including other law enforcement agencies, unless legally required to do so.  

What happens when the City's current Flock Safety contract expires? 

The current Flock Safety contract expires in late 2026. RCPD is conducting a competitive procurement process, and staff expects to bring a recommendation regarding future ALPR technology to the City Council in fall 2026. The new procurement intends to incorporate stronger requirements concerning ownership of data, data-sharing controls, immigration-related access, auditability, cybersecurity, data deletion, and vendor accountability. 

How many fixed ALPR cameras does RCPD have? 

RCPD currently utilizes 25 leased Flock Safety Falcon® cameras.  

Can someone obtain ALPR records through a California Public Records Act request? 

Yes, but ALPR data is purged every 30 days.  When releasing ALPR data, RCPD complies with all applicable laws including redacting information that are exempt from disclosure. Records that are retained as evidence in a criminal investigation are exempt from disclosure. 

How much does RCPD's ALPR program cost? 

The 3-year (2023 to 2026) contract with Flock Safety totaled $243,750.