Special Order - ALPR - 3-31-16 RESCINDEDCity of Long Beach
Working Together to Serve
Date: March 31, 2016
To: WATCH REPORT
From: Robert G. Luna, Chief of Police
Subject: SPECIAL ORDER-AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER
SPECIAL ORDER
Memorandum
Effective immediately, this Special Order creates policy as it pertains to the use of
the Automated License Plate Reader System.
ALPR PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The Long Beach Police Department utilizes automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology, and supporting software, to gather and analyze data to enable the rapid identification and location of vehicles of legitimate interest to law
enforcement.
ALPR units are attached to vehicles or at fixed locations, where they collect
license plate information from vehicles on public roadways and public property.
DEFINITIONS
Alert: A visual or auditory notice that is triggered when the ALPR system receives
a potential hit on a license plate.
Hit: A read matched to a license plate that has previously been registered on an
agency's hot list of license plates related to stolen vehicles, wanted vehicles, or other factors supporting investigation, or which has been manually registered by a
user for further investigation.
Hot list: Hot list data consists of license plate numbers selected by an agency for
inclusion on a particular list to facilitate the targeting of vehicles displaying those license plate numbers.
Read: Digital images of license plates and vehicles, and associated metadata
(e.g., date, time, and geographic coordinates associated with the vehicle image
capture), that are captured by the ALPR system.
AUTHORIZED USE OF ALPR DATA
ALPR data shall be used for official law enforcement purposes in support of local,
state, and federal agencies. RESCINDED 6.3 ALPR SIGNED 8-17-17
Special Order -Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR)
Revised March 31, 2016
Page 2 of 3
RESTRICTIONS ON COLLECTION OF ALPR DATA AND USE OF ALPR SYSTEMS
ALPR units may be used to collect data that is within public view, but may not be
used for the purpose of monitoring individual activities protected by the First
Amendment to the United States Constitution. It is the personal responsibility of
all employees with access to ALPR data to take reasonable measures to protect
the privacy and civil liberties of individuals, as well as the security and
confidentiality of ALPR data.
Civilian ALPR operators may not contact occupied vehicles that return as stolen, wanted, or subject-of-investigation.
Users of ALPR Data shall visually confirm the license plate characters generated by the ALPR readers correspond with the digital image of the license plate in
question. ALPR hits shall be verified through JDIC, CLETS or other official law
enforcement sources.
COMMERCIALLY COLLECTED ALPR DATA
The Long Beach Police Department has access to commercially collected ALPR
data, which shall be treated in the same manner as LBPD ALPR data.
RETENTION OF ALPR DATA
ALPR Data collected by the Long Beach Police Department shall not be retained
for a period exceeding 24 months. Once the retention period for ALPR data has
expired, the Department shall purge the data from all ALPR systems.
ALPR records of vehicles having been identified and linked to a criminal
investigation will be retained in accordance with the applicable criminal statute of limitations.
TRAINING
Only Long Beach Police Department personnel trained in the use of the ALPR
system, including its privacy and civil liberties protections, shall be authorized
access to the ALPR system. All personnel who have access to the ALPR system will participate in annual training that shall include, at minimum, a review of this
policy.
AUDITS
Access to, and use of, ALPR data is logged for audit purposes. ALPR system audits will be conducted periodically and on request to supervisory personnel at the Long Beach Police Department. RESCINDED 6.3 ALPR SIGNED 8-17-17
Special Order -Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR)
Revised March 31, 2016
Page 3 of 3
SYSTEM MANAGEMENT
The Bureau Chief of the Administration Bureau is the official custodian of the ALPR
system and is responsible for managing the ALPR data collected. At minimum, the
custodian will assign personnel under his or her command to administer the day
to-day operations of ALPR technology and data, including but not limited to
maintaining accuracy of hot lists and correcting data errors.
DISSEMINATION
ALPR data is for official use only. ALPR data may be released to other authorized and verified law enforcement officials and agencies at any time for legitimate law enforcement purposes.
The Long Beach Police Department may disseminate ALPR data to any
government entity with an authorized law enforcement or public safety
purpose. ALPR information shall not be disseminated for personal gain or for any
other non-law enforcement purpose.
ALPR data may be disseminated to owners and operators of critical infrastructure in circumstances where such infrastructure is reasonably believed to be the target
of surveillance for the purpose of a terrorist attack or other criminal activity.
Historical ALPR data shall not be disseminated to members of the general public
or news media, except in the following circumstances: 1)A public safety exception where the Department reasonably determines thatan individual or vehicle poses a threat of substantial harm to the public.
a)Limited Release of Information -The release of ALPR data must be
limited to information that could reasonably protect the public from the
harm justifying the dissemination of the data.
2)ALPR images may be used in a photo line-up to further the particularinvestigation for which the ALPR Image was requested.
The Long Beach Police Department shall raise any and all applicable exemptions
contained in the jurisdiction's freedom of information act to withhold or otherwise
limit the disclosure of Historical ALPR Data.
This order shall remain in effect until the ALPR policy is finalized.
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Robert G. Luna, Chief of Police
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Date � I RESCINDED 6.3 ALPR SIGNED 8-17-17