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CC - ACTION ITEM: Discussion and, if desired, Provide the Chief of Police Direction on the Policies and Procedures Associated with the Department’s Flock Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) Program.
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Meeting Date: July 9, 2025
Contact Person/Dept.: Captain Andrew Bellante/Police Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-6394
Fiscal Impact: Yes [ ] No [X] General Fund: Yes [ ] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No [ ]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (07/08/2025)
Department Approval: Police Chief Jason Sims (07/07/2025) _____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council discuss and, if desired, provide the Chief of Police direction on the policies and procedures associated with the Department’s Flock Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) program.
BACKGROUND
On May 8th, 2023, the Culver City Council approved a five-year contract with Flock Safety Group to provide the Culver City Police Department (CCPD) an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system. Prior to City Council approval, CCPD conducted extensive community outreach to allow for public comment and to answer any questions and address any community concerns regarding ALPR cameras. The outreach consisted of numerous community meetings, a meeting with the Police Subcommittee, a meeting with the Chief’s Advisory Panel, and a scheduled public meeting that was highly advertised and held on March 30th, 2023, at City Council Chambers, as required by Senate Bill 34.
Approximately 40 community members attended the public meeting. During the meeting, many comments were received from area residents who were in support of the Department’s proposed ALPR program. Additionally, the Department received several questions and concerns related to ALPR data being used for immigration enforcement purposes and to enforce out-of-state laws related to reproductive rights and gender affirming care. The Department listened to, assessed, and incorporated the concerns of community members in the Department’s ALPR policy.
A robust ALPR policy was created and implemented to ensure that all community members privacy rights are protected and that under no circumstances would the department’s ALPR data be used or shared for the purpose of conducting immigration enforcement or to investigate or arrest any person for performing, supporting, or aiding in the performance of an abortion, or for coming to the state of California to receive any type of gender affirming care treatment, all pursuant to existing California law.
POLICY/PRIVACY RIGHTS
The Culver City Police Department has drafted an extensive policy specific to the Department's ALPR program (Attachment 1). Prior to implementing the program, the policy was reviewed by the City Attorney. It outlines access, administration, operation, data sharing, data retention, and accountability. In creating the policy, the CCPD utilized the strictest industry standards to protect community members privacy rights. CCPD continuously examines the policy to ensure compliance with up-to-date California and Federal law with respect to how the data is accessed, stored, and shared. All Flock ALPR data is handled in accordance with Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Policy standards, ensuring it remains fully CJIS compliant for secure storage, access, and transmission.
Some highlights of the Department’s ALPR policy pertaining to privacy rights, data sharing, and transparency include the following:
• All data obtained from the ALPR cameras is owned by the Culver City Police Department.
• The ALPR data will not be stored or retained by the Culver City Police Department or Flock Safety Group, beyond a period of 30 days. After 30 days, the data will be permanently deleted, unless being used for an active criminal investigation.
• Access to the data will be strictly regulated and is for law enforcement personnel only.
• The Culver City Police Department does not permit the sharing of ALPR data gathered by the city or its contractors/subcontractors for the purpose of federal immigration enforcement, pursuant to the California Values Act (Senate Bill 54).
• The Administrator of the data collection (A CCPD Manager or Supervisor) or any member of CCPD shall not share information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or any agency conducting immigration enforcement or removal operations.
• The Administrator of the data collection or any member of CCPD shall not share ALPR data with any law enforcement agency or federal law enforcement agency for the purpose of investigating and/or participating in the arrest of any person for performing, supporting, or aiding in the performance of an abortion or any type of gender affirming treatment or for obtaining an abortion or any type of gender affirming treatment.
• ALPR data may be shared only with other law enforcement or prosecutorial agencies when there is a need to know, a right to know or legal obligation to provide the information.
• All authorized users are required to complete Department training before being granted access and access is controlled by system administrators, who are at least at a supervisory level.
• Users are provided with unique login credentials and are prohibited from sharing these with others or from using someone else’s credentials. Personnel will be issued individual access codes, so all uses of the system are tracked.
• Any authorized user conducting an inquiry into the system must log in using their secure login credentials and must provide a reason for the inquiry (case number or reason for the search)
• Internal audits shall be conducted of ALPR detection browsing inquiries at least once during each calendar year.
• Users who violate the Department's ALPR policy are subject to discipline under Department policy and could also face criminal prosecution under data security and protection laws.
DISCUSSION
With the evolving advancement of technology, Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) have become a modern-day investigatory tool for numerous law enforcement agencies throughout the nation, state, and Los Angeles region. ALPR technology has become an industry standard that has proven to be an effective and efficient resource for CCPD to detect, solve, prevent, and deter crime in a focused and unbiased manner.
It is estimated that vehicles are used in over 70 percent of crimes that are committed. ALPR systems function to capture a vehicle's license plate automatically, then compare the captured license plate number to one or more databases of vehicles of interest to law enforcement. The automated capture, analysis, and comparison of vehicle license plates typically occur within seconds and alerts officers almost immediately when a stolen or vehicle wanted in connection with a crime is identified.
These fixed cameras only capture images of rear license plates that travel on public roadways and do not identify any individual or access anyone’s personal information through their analysis of license plate characters. The data captured by ALPRs is anonymous, and officers can only identify the registered owner of a vehicle by querying separate state government databases, such as the DMV, to obtain the registered owner information. Under strict regulations and audit procedures, ALPR data may only be accessed for lawful law enforcement investigative purposes. It should be noted that ALPR cameras do not take or retain images of the driver or the occupants of a vehicle and do not retain any information associated with a registered vehicle owner’s preferred political party or any other personal information.
In November of 2023, CCPD launched its ALPR program installing 52 cameras at 27 different intersections throughout the city. CCPD’s ALPR cameras have been instrumental in enhancing the department’s ability to prevent, deter, and solve crime. Since the implementation of the ALPR program, CCPD has observed significant public safety improvements, including the following results:
• 134 arrests of suspects driving vehicles that were reported stolen.
• 26 arrests of individuals driving vehicles entering the City that were utilized in violent felony crimes including murder, armed robbery, armed carjacking, and assault with a deadly weapon.
• Numerous arrests of suspects found in possession of illegal items, including:
o Loaded Ghost guns (11 guns recovered directly related to ALPR notifications)
o Narcotics
o Identity theft materials
o Stolen property
o Burglary tools
• ALPR cameras have been directly responsible for identifying over 60 vehicles and suspects involved in felony crimes committed in Culver City, leading to their apprehension.
• Enhanced case clearance rates from 2023 to 2024, including:
o An approximate 15% increase in violent crime case clearance
o An approximate 5% increase in property crime case clearance
• An overall 10% reduction in crime from 2023 to 2024, including:
o An approximate 25% decrease in motor vehicle theft
o An approximate 9% reduction in theft
o An approximate 10% reduction in burglary
o An approximate 17% decrease in aggravated assault
o An approximate 10% decrease in robbery
These outcomes reflect the ALPR program’s effectiveness as a proactive tool in crime prevention, suspect identification, and enhanced public safety without the collection of the registered owner of the vehicle’s personal information.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no fiscal impact associated with the discussion of the policies and procedures associated with the Police Department’s Flock Automated License Plate Readers. Depending on Council’s direction regarding potential policy changes to the Department’s Flock Automated License Plate Reader Program, there may be fiscal impacts to the City for Council to consider.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2025-07-09 - ATT Culver City Police Department Automated License Plate Reader Policy
MOTION(S)
That the City Council:
1. Discuss the Police Department’s Automated License Plate Recognition Policy; and
2. (If desired) Provide direction to the Chief of Police on the policies and procedures associated with the Department’s Flock Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) program.