SAN DIEGO (CNS) — The San Diego Public Safety Committee approved the continued use of 54 surveillance technologies, including Automatic License Plate Readers, which the city's law enforcement strongly recommended.
ALPR technology is used as part of crime-fighting strategy that involves the identification of vehicles associated with suspects, witnesses or victims.
The technology utilizes police ability to focus its investigative resources to deter crime and enhance public safety, according to the San Diego Police Department.
"ALPR systems have proven to be very effective tools in combating crime. The operation and access to ALPR data shall be for official law enforcement purposes only. The legitimate law enforcement purposes of ALPR systems include locating stolen vehicles, wanted vehicles or vehicles subject to investigation and locating vehicles belonging to suspects, witnesses and victims of a violent crime,'' the department said in a statement.
The following are ALPR areas of concern:
- to invade the privacy of individuals or observe areas where a reasonable expectation of privacy exists;
- to be used in a discriminatory manner and to target protected individual characteristics, including race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, disability or gender;
- to harass, intimidate or discriminate against any individual or group;
- to violate any Constitutional rights, federal, state or local laws;
- to be utilized for any personal purpose;
- to investigate parking violations and to conduct traffic enforcement and;
- to indiscriminately view video without investigative or administrative need.
The department states that since ALPR was launched in 2024, the technology has assisted the SDPD in 600 investigations, including the recovery of at least 20 firearms, $5.8 million in stolen property involving 440 stolen vehicles and resulted in more than 420 arrests.
"The San Diego Police Department will also use ALPR systems to enhance and coordinate responses to active critical incidents and public threats, safeguard the lives of community members by using this technology to locate at-risk missing persons and to protect assets and resources of the city of San Diego," the department added.
In the first year of ALPR use, vehicle theft dropped 20% between 2023 and 2024, police officials stated.
The Smart Streetlights System, which includes the situational cameras and the ALPR cameras, have been attached to streetlight poles throughout the city of San Diego since last year.
Total Installation, activation and relocation costs for the Smart Streetlight Program was $3,519,300, according to the SDPD.
The safety committee will readdress ALPR use next month.
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