HomeMy WebLinkAboutALPRLicense plate recognition 2021
Parking Services
1260 Chorro Street, Suite B, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
805.781.7230
slocity.org
San Luis Obispo Parking Division
Policy Manual
Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPRs)
1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance for the capture, storage and use of digital data
obtained using Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology.
2. POLICY
The policy of the San Luis Obispo Public Works Department’s Parking Services Division is to utilize ALPR
technology to capture and store digital license data and images while recognizing the established privacy
rights of the public.
All data and images gathered by the ALPR are for the official use of this department. Because such data
may contain confidential information, it is not open to public review.
3. ADMINISTRATION
The ALPR technology, also known as License Plate Recognition (LPR), allows for the automated detection
of license plates. It is used by the Parking Services Division to convert data associated with vehicle
license plates for official Parking Services Division purposes, including identifying vehicles eligible for tow
due to overdue citations, and for electronically “chalking” vehicles to enforce time limited parking
spaces. It may also be used to identify stolen or wanted vehicles and be shared with the San Luis Obispo
Police Department in accordance with their ALPR policy.
All installation and maintenance of ALPR equipment, as well as ALPR data retention and access, shall be
managed by the Parking Manager. The Parking Manager will assign staff members under his/her
direction to administer the day-to-day operation of the ALPR equipment and data.
3.1. ALPR ADMINISTRATOR
The Parking Manager shall be responsible for developing guidelines and procedures to comply with
the requirements of Civil Code § 1798.90.5 et seq. This includes, but is not limited to (Civil Code §
1798.90.51; Civil Code § 1798.90.53):
(a) A description of the job title or other designation of the members and independent contractors
who are authorized to use or access the ALPR system or to collect ALPR information.
(b) Training requirements for authorized users.
(c) A description of how the ALPR system will be monitored to ensure the security of the
information and compliance with applicable privacy laws.
City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle
(d) Procedures for system operators to maintain records of access in compliance with Civil Code §
1798.90.52.
(e) The title and name of the current designee in overseeing the ALPR operation.
(f) Working with the City’s Information Technology Division (IT) and the Custodian of Records on
the retention and destruction of ALPR data.
(g) Ensuring this policy and related procedures are conspicuously posted on the department’s
website.
4. 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)
(a) An ALPR shall only be used for official Parking Division business.
(b) An ALPR may be used in conjunction with any routine Parking Division operation, including parking
enforcement activities.
(c) No member of this department shall operate ALPR equipment or access ALPR data without first
completing department-approved training.
(d) No ALPR operator may access department, state or federal data unless otherwise authorized to do
so.
(e) For scofflaw vehicles, the enforcement officer shall verify registration information and past due
citation status prior to immobilization or impound of vehicles that is based solely on an ALPR alert.
5. DATA COLLECTION AND RETENTION
The Parking Manager is responsible for ensuring systems and processes are in place for the proper
collection and retention of ALPR data. Data will be transferred from vehicles to the designated storage
in accordance with division procedures.
All ALPR data downloaded to the server should be stored for a minimum of one year in accordance with
the City’s established records retention schedule. Thereafter, ALPR data will be purged. Any ALPR data
shared with law enforcement that becomes related to evidence in a criminal or civil action or data that
is subject to a discovery request or other lawful action will be downloaded from the server onto
portable media and booked into evidence with the San Luis Obispo Police Department.
City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle
6. ACCOUNTABILITY
All data will be closely safeguarded and protected by both procedural and technological means. The
Parking Division will observe the following safeguards regarding access to and use of stored data (Civil
Code § 1798.90.51; Civil Code § 1798.90.53):
(a) 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)
(b) Members approved to access ALPR data under these guidelines are permitted to access the data for
legitimate Parking Division purposes only, such as when the data relates to the investigation of a
parking violation.
(c) ALPR systems audits should be conducted on a regular basis.
7. RELEASING ALPR DATA
The ALPR data may only be shared with the San Luis Obispo Police Department and may be released to
other law enforcement or prosecutorial agencies for official law enforcement purposes or as otherwise
permitted by law per San Luis Obispo Police Department policy.
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).
8. TRAINING
The Parking Manager should ensure that members receive approved training for those authorized to use
or access the ALPR system (Civil Code § 1798.90.51; Civil