462.2 Administration

The ALPR technology, also known as License Plate Recognition (LPR), allows for the automated detection of license plates. It is used by the Elk Grove Police Department to convert data associated with vehicle license plates for official law enforcement purposes, including identifying stolen or wanted vehicles, stolen license plates and missing persons. It may also be used to gather information related to active warrants, homeland security, electronic surveillance, suspect interdiction and stolen property recovery.

All installation and maintenance of ALPR equipment, as well as ALPR data retention and access, shall be managed by the Chief of Police or authorized designee. The Chief of Police or authorized designee will assign members under his/her command to administer the day-to-day operation of the ALPR equipment and data.

462.3 Operations

Use of an ALPR is restricted to the purposes outlined below. Department members shall not use, or allow others to use the equipment or database records for any unauthorized purpose (Civil Code § 1798.90.51; Civil Code § 1798.90.53).

1. An ALPR shall only be used for official law enforcement business.
2. An ALPR may be used in conjunction with any routine patrol operation or criminal investigation. Reasonable suspicion or probable cause is not required before using an ALPR.
3. While an ALPR may be used to canvass license plates around any crime scene, particular consideration should be given to using ALPR-equipped cars to canvass areas around homicides, shootings and other major incidents. Partial license plates reported during major crimes should be entered into the ALPR system in an attempt to identify suspect vehicles.
4. (d) No member of this department shall operate ALPR equipment or access ALPR data without first completing department-approved training.
5. (e) No ALPR operator may access department, state or federal data unless otherwise authorized to do so.
6. (f) If practicable, the officer should verify an ALPR response through the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) before taking enforcement action that is based solely on an ALPR alert.

462.5 Accountability

All data will be closely safeguarded and protected by both procedural and technological means. The Elk Grove Police Department will observe the following safeguards regarding access to and use of stored data (Civil Code § 1798.90.51; Civil Code § 1798.90.53):

1. All ALPR data downloaded to the mobile workstation and in storage shall be accessible only through a login/password-protected system capable of documenting all access of information by name, date and time (Civil Code § 1798.90.52).
2. Members approved to access ALPR data under these guidelines are permitted to access the data for legitimate law enforcement purposes only, such as when the data relate to a specific criminal investigation or department-related civil or administrative action.
3. ALPR system audits should be conducted on a regular basis.

For security or data breaches, see the Records Release and Maintenance Policy.

462.7 Releasing ALPR Data

The ALPR data may be shared only with other law enforcement or prosecutorial agencies for official law enforcement purposes or as otherwise permitted by law, using the following procedures:

1. The agency makes a written request for the ALPR data that includes:
   1. The name of the agency.
   2. The name of the person requesting.
   3. The intended purpose of obtaining the information.
2. The request is reviewed by the Chief of Police or authorized designee and approved before the request is fulfilled.
3. The approved request is retained on file.

Requests for ALPR data by non-law enforcement or non-prosecutorial agencies will be processed as provided in the Records Maintenance and Release Policy (Civil Code § 1798.90.55).