San Jose Police Update License Plate Reader Policies

The city's network of nearly 500 automated license plate readers, supplied by tech company Flock Safety, has been a growing point of contention. These cameras capture over two million license plates each month, and until this policy change, the San Jose Police Department (SJPD) retained this vast amount of data for a full year. This retention period was significantly longer than in many other cities and became a key issue for privacy advocates. This policy update follows a lawsuit filed against San Jose in November 2025 by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the ACLU of Northern California. The suit alleges that the SJPD's practice of searching the massive license plate database without a warrant violates the California Constitution by creating detailed records of residents' movements and associations. Concerns have also been intensely focused on data sharing, particularly with federal agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). California law restricts sharing such data with out-of-state or federal agencies for immigration enforcement. However, reports have surfaced of other California police departments allegedly searching ALPR data on behalf of federal authorities, fueling fears that the technology could be used to target immigrant communities. The pressure on San Jose has been amplified by the actions of its neighbors. In response to similar privacy and data-sharing concerns, several other Bay Area cities have taken drastic steps. Mountain View recently terminated its contract with Flock Safety altogether, and Santa Clara County has moved to cut ties with the vendor, signaling a growing regional distrust of the surveillance technology.