SurveillanceUsePolicyfor fixed AutomatedLicensePlateRecognition ALPR) Technology
In accordancewith PaloAlto MunicipalCodeSectionPAMC2.30.680(d), the SurveillanceUse Policyfor the PoliceDepartment’suseof fixedALPRtechnologyisasfollows:
1. IntendedPurpose. Thetechnologyisusedby the PaloAlto PoliceDepartmentto convertdataassociatedwith vehiclelicenseplatesandvehicledescriptionsfor official law enforcementpurposes, includingbut not limited to identifyingstolenor wanted vehicles, stolenlicenseplatesandmissingpersons, suspectinterdictionandstolen propertyrecovery.
2. AuthorizedUses. Departmentpersonnelmayonlyaccessandusethe ALPRsystemfor officialandlegitimatelaw enforcementpurposesconsistentwith this Policy.
Thefollowingusesof the ALPRsystemarespecificallyprohibited:
a. Harassmentor Intimidation: It isa violationof this Policyto usethe ALPRsystem to harassand/or intimidate anyindividualor group.
b. PersonalUse: It isa violationof this Policyto usethe ALPRsystemor associatedscanfilesor hot listsfor anypersonalpurpose.
c. FirstAmendmentRights. It isa violationof this policyto usethe LPRsystemor associatedscanfilesor hot listsfor the purposeor knowneffect of infringing uponFirstAmendmentrightsof anyperson.
d. Invasionof Privacy: Exceptwhendonepursuantto a court order suchasa searchwarrant, isa violationof this Policyto utilizethe ALPRto recordlicense platesexceptthoseof vehiclesthat areexposedto publicview (e.g., vehicleson a publicroador street, or that areon privatepropertybut whoselicenseplate(s) arevisiblefrom a publicroad, street, or a placeto whichmembersof the public haveaccess, suchasthe parkinglot of a shopor other businessestablishment).
3. Information Collected. A fixedALPRsystemcapturesthe date, time, location, license plate (state, partial, paper, andno plate), andvehiclecharacteristics (make, model, type, andcolor) of passingvehicles. usingthe PaloAlto PoliceDepartment’sALPR’ssystem andthe vendor’svehicleidentificationtechnology.
4. Safeguards. All datawill be closelysafeguardedandprotectedby both proceduraland technologicalmeans. ThePaloAlto PoliceDepartmentwill observethe following safeguardsregardingaccessto anduseof storeddata (CivilCode § 1798.90.51; Civil Code § 1798.90.53):
a. All ALPRdatashallbe accessibleonlythrougha login/password-protected systemcapableof documentingall accessof informationby name, date, and time.
City Council Approved: April 3, 2023
b. Personsapprovedto accessALPRdataunderthis policyarepermitted to access the datafor legitimatelaw enforcementpurposesonly, suchaswhenthe data relateto a specificcriminalinvestigation
c. SuchALPRdatamayonlybereleasedto other authorizedandverifiedlocal enforcementofficialsandagenciesfor legitimatelaw enforcementpurposes. d. EveryALPRsysteminquirymustbedocumentedby either the associatedcase numberor incidentnumber, andlawful reasonfor the inquiry.
5. Retention. TheCity’s ALPRvendor, FlockSafety, will storethe data (datahosting) and ensurepropermaintenanceandsecurityof datastoredin their datacenters. Flock Safetywill purgethe data30daysafter collection; however, this will not precludePalo Alto PoliceDepartmentfrom maintaininganyrelevantvehicledataobtainedfrom the systemafter that periodif it hasbecome, or it isreasonableto believeit will become, evidencein a specificcriminalinvestigationor issubjectto a discoveryrequestor other lawful actionto producerecords. In thosecircumstancesthe applicabledatashouldbe downloadedfrom the serveronto portablemediaandbookedinto evidence.
Informationgatheredor collected, andrecordsretainedby FlockSafetycameraswill not be sold, accessed, or usedfor anypurposeother than legitimatelaw enforcementor publicsafetypurposes.
6. Accessby non-CityEntities. TheALPRdatamaybe sharedonlywith other locallaw enforcementor prosecutorialagenciesfor officiallaw enforcementpurposesor as otherwiserequiredby law, andasprovidedbelow:
a. Requests
i. A law enforcementagencymaymakea written requestfor specificdata, includingthe nameof the agencyandthe intendedofficiallaw enforcementpurposefor access
ii. Therequestshallbereviewedby the Chiefof Policeor the authorized designeeandapprovedbeforeaccessisgranted
iii. Theapprovedrequestisretainedon file
iv. Requestsfor ALPRdataby non-law enforcementor non-prosecutorial agencieswill beprocessedby the Department’scustodianof recordsand fulfilled onlyasrequiredby law.
b. Memorandaphilipof Understanding
i. Accessto searchabledataby other locallaw enforcementagenciesshall only begrantedpursuantto anMOUwith that specificagency
ii. SuchMOUwill providethat accesswill onlybeusedfor legitimatelaw enforcementor publicsafetypurposes
c. TheChiefof Policeor the authorizeddesigneewill considerthe CaliforniaValues Act (GovernmentCode § 7282.5; GovernmentCode § 7284.2 et seq), before approvingthe accessto ALPRdata. ThePaloAlto PoliceDepartmentdoesnot permit the sharingof ALPRdatagatheredby the Cityor its
contractors/subcontractorsfor purposeof federalimmigrationenforcement.
City Council Approved: April 3, 2023
7. ComplianceProcedures. TheInvestigativeServicesCaptain (or other police administratorasdesignatedby the PoliceChief) shallbe responsiblefor compliancewith the requirementsof CivilCode § 1798.90.5 et seq. Thisincludes, but isnot limited to CivilCode § 1798.90.51; CivilCode § 1798.90.53):
a. Onlyproperlytrainedswornofficers, crimeanalysts, andpolicestaff areallowed accessto the ALPRsystemor to collectALPRinformation.
b. Ensuringthat trainingrequirementsarecompletedfor authorizedusers. c. ALPRsystemmonitoringto ensurethe securityof the informationand compliancewith applicableprivacylaws.
d. Ensuringthat proceduresarefollowedfor systemoperatorsandto maintain recordsof in compliancewith CivilCode § 1798.90.52.
e. Thetitle andnameof the currentdesigneein overseeingthe ALPRoperationis maintained. Continuallyworkingwith the Custodianof Recordson the retention anddestructionof ALPRdataasrequired.
f. Ensuringthis policyandrelatedproceduresareconspicuouslypostedon the Department’sdedicatedALPRwebsite.
It isthe responsibilityof the InvestigativeServicesCaptain (or other policeadministrator asdesignatedby the PoliceChief) to ensurethat anaudit isconductedof ALPR detectioninquiriesat leastonceduringeachcalendaryear. TheDepartmentwill audit a samplingof the ALPRsystemutilizationfrom the prior 12-month periodto verifyproper usein accordancewith the aboveauthorizeduses. Theaudit shallrandomlyselectat least10detectionbrowsinginquiriesconductedby departmentemployeesduringthe precedingsix-month periodanddetermineif eachinquirymeetsthe requirements establishedby policy. Thisaudit shalltakethe form of aninternalDepartment memorandumto the Chiefof Police. Thememorandumshallincludeanydataerrors foundsothat sucherrorscanbe corrected. After reviewby the Chiefof Police, the memorandumandanyassociateddocumentationshallbe filed andretainedby the Department.
City Council Approved: April 3, 2023