TO: Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Quintan Ortega, Police Chief
SUBJECT:
title
Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) Program
end
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
recommendation
Information only; no action needed.
body
SUMMARY:
The purpose of this presentation is to provide the City Council with information regarding the City's existing ALPR program, how the system is utilized by the Red Bluff Police Department, the safeguards and accountability measures associated with its use, and the benefits the system has provided to the Department.
The City of Red Bluff has maintained an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) program since 2016, when the City Council approved implementation of the program through funding provided by the Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement (TIDE) Board.
The Red Bluff Police Department currently operates six ALPR cameras located at two fixed locations and two mobile radar/message-board trailers. The Department's current agreement with Motorola Solutions - Vigilant Solutions is a five-year agreement totaling $35,455.57 and is scheduled to expire in 2031, unless extended. Beginning in 2027, and as part of the agreement, the annual licensing and support cost will be $5,009.00 per year after the initial payment of $14,000.02 made earlier this year.
The ALPR system is an investigative tool used by law enforcement to assist in locating vehicles associated with criminal investigations, stolen vehicles, missing persons, and other public-safety matters. The system captures license plate images and associated vehicle images, which may provide investigators with investigative leads when a vehicle is associated with a legitimate law enforcement inquiry.
Access to ALPR information is limited to authorized users and legitimate law enforcement purposes. Our ALPR policy follows applicable Federal and California law. The Department utilizes Lexipol, which is a policy management group founded by California attorneys and former law enforcement officers and used by law enforcement agencies nationwide.
Flock Safety and Axon/Insight ALPR Systems:
The City of Red Bluff does not have a contract with Flock Safety or Axon, which are other providers of ALPR technology.
There are currently three locations within the City limits of Red Bluff where Flock ALPR cameras are installed. Two additional locations have been identified and are pending installation. These cameras are not owned or operated by the City of Red Bluff or the Red Bluff Police Department.
Red Bluff Police Department officers have access to applicable Flock ALPR data through the Tehama County Sheriff's Office. That access provides investigators with an additional investigative resource without the City having a contractual relationship with a different vendor.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION:
At the September 1, 2026, regular City Council meeting, Council requested information regarding the City's ALPR program.
On December 20, 2016, the Red Bluff City Council Conducted a public hearing regarding the implementation of the ALPR program pursuant to Senate Bill 34; approved receipt of $140,000 from the Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement (TIDE) Board for implementation of the ALPR’s; authorized Lehr Auto Electric as the sole source vendor for Vigilant Solutions ALPR software and equipment in the amount of $132,911.83; and approved the supplemental appropriation from the TIDE Grant revenue account to the TIDE Expenditures account.
DISCUSSION:
The City currently has six ALPR cameras located at two fixed locations and two mobile radar/message board trailers. Each fixed location has two cameras providing coverage for vehicles as they approach or leave the location. The mobile radar/message board trailers are equipped with forward and rear facing cameras to capture license plates as vehicles approach and/or pass the trailer.
The City previously had an additional fixed ALPR location. Due to funding limitations and the age of the equipment, that location has not been upgraded to a system meeting current Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) requirements and is not currently in use.
All City owned ALPR cameras are provided through Motorola Solutions - Vigilant Solutions. Patrol vehicles are no longer equipped with ALPR cameras due to funding limitations and outdated equipment.
Over the years, the number of operational ALPR cameras within the City has fluctuated due to equipment failures and older equipment reaching the end of its ability to meet applicable security and compliance requirements.
In May 2026, the Red Bluff Police Department replaced four ALPR cameras at existing locations. The replacement was necessary because the older camera models would no longer meet applicable CJIS requirements that began July 2026.
ALPR systems are deployed within the public right-of-way and are legally authorized investigative tools used by law enforcement. The Red Bluff Police Department's use of ALPR technology is governed by applicable federal and state law, California Department of Justice requirements, and department policies and procedures. Access to ALPR information is limited to legitimate law enforcement purposes and is subject to auditing and accountability requirements.
The Department recognizes that the use of ALPR technology may generate questions regarding privacy and the collection, retention, and sharing of information. The Department's intent is to ensure that the technology is used appropriately and responsibly while providing officers and investigators with a tool that can assist in legitimate law enforcement investigations.
Use of ALPR Technology:
ALPR technology captures license plates and associated vehicle images as vehicles pass a camera. The system records information such as the license plate, date, time, and location of the detection.
Authorized users can conduct searches of the ALPR database when there is a legitimate law enforcement purpose. The information can provide officers and investigators with leads regarding the location or movement of a vehicle that may be associated with a criminal investigation.
ALPR technology can assist in:
• Locating stolen vehicles
• Developing investigative leads in criminal cases
• Identifying vehicles associated with criminal investigations
• Locating missing persons
• Investigating serious or violent crimes
• Identifying vehicles that may have traveled through or left our jurisdiction
• Coordinating investigations with other law enforcement agencies
ALPR technology will not be used for traffic enforcement. Likewise, ALPR’s will not be used to generate criminal cases based on ALPR data alone.
ALPR information is an investigative tool and does not replace traditional police investigative practices. ALPR technology does not identify a person simply by capturing a license plate. The system does not automatically determine who was driving a vehicle or establish that the owner or driver of a vehicle committed a crime. An ALPR detection is an investigative lead that must be evaluated in conjunction with other available information and evidence.
Investigative Benefits:
Since the installation of ALPR cameras in the City of Red Bluff, officers and detectives have utilized the system to locate and recover stolen vehicles, develop investigative leads in serious crimes, identify and arrest suspects in major investigations, and assist in the apprehension of other individuals involved in criminal activity.
A notable example involved the US Bank robbery in Red Bluff. The suspect in the Red Bluff case was also believed to be responsible for bank robberies in the cities of Chico and Redding. Following one of those robberies, the suspect drove past an ALPR camera in Red Bluff, generating a vehicle detection that provided investigators with a critical lead. The information obtained through the ALPR system assisted investigators in identifying the suspect and ultimately contributed to his arrest.
This investigation also demonstrates the value of information sharing between California law enforcement agencies. A vehicle associated with criminal activity does not necessarily remain within the jurisdiction where the crime occurred. The ability to identify a vehicle as it travels through different jurisdictions can provide investigators with information that may otherwise be unavailable.
Interagency Data Sharing:
The Red Bluff Police Department (RBPD) currently shares license plate detections with 172 other California law enforcement agencies.
RBPD has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with each agency with which it shares detections. Under those agreements, each participating agency is responsible for conducting audits of its own personnel and ensuring that access to the information is for legitimate law enforcement purposes.
The Red Bluff Police Department does not share its ALPR data with federal agencies or out-of-state law enforcement agencies.
Interagency sharing allows investigators to develop leads when vehicles associated with criminal activity travel outside the jurisdiction where the original crime occurred. Likewise, it allows investigators from other California agencies to identify vehicles that may have traveled through Red Bluff.
Accountability and Auditing:
When an authorized user conducts a search of the ALPR database, the query records information including the search type, username or requestor, case or incident number, date and time of the query, and the reason for the search.
The Red Bluff Police Department conducts periodic audits of the ALPR systems to which its personnel have access. Auditing responsibility rests with the Support/Special Services Division Commander.
The most recent audit conducted by the Division Commander occurred in August 2026. The audit reviewed queries conducted by Red Bluff Police Department personnel and determined that the searches were conducted for legitimate law enforcement purposes.
The audit process is intended to ensure that access to ALPR information is associated with a legitimate law enforcement purpose and that users are accountable for their searches.
Investigative Example - Suspicious Death:
Another example of the benefit of ALPR data sharing involved a suspicious death investigation at a hotel in the City of Red Bluff.
RBPD detectives were able to utilize ALPR information to track the decedent's vehicle as it traveled into Southern California. Detectives contacted federal law enforcement personnel and requested assistance in identifying and locating the occupants associated with the vehicle. Federal authorities subsequently located and identified the occupants as they were preparing to cross the border into Mexico. RBPD detectives later interviewed those individuals and were able to resolve the suspicious death investigation.
The individuals in this case were subsequently tracked by federal authorities to Washington, where they were later arrested on attempted murder and other weapons and drug related charges.
This investigation demonstrates how ALPR information can provide investigators with a starting point when a vehicle travels well beyond the jurisdiction where an investigation began.
Investigative Example - Custodial Abduction:
RBPD officers have also utilized ALPR database searches in missing person and custodial abduction investigations.
In one case, RBPD received a report of a custodial abduction occurring within the City's jurisdiction. Officers utilized the ALPR system to identify and track the suspect's vehicle as it traveled through Oregon and Washington. Once detectives determined that the suspect had left California with the child, the FBI was contacted for assistance.
Investigators learned that the suspect and child had attempted to cross the Canadian border but were denied entry. The suspect was ultimately arrested in Oregon, and the child was safely recovered.
This case demonstrates the value of ALPR technology in locating vehicles and developing investigative leads when a suspect leaves the jurisdiction.
The Department recognizes that ALPR technology involves the collection and storage of vehicle and license plate information and that appropriate safeguards are necessary to protect privacy and ensure the information is used appropriately.
Access to ALPR information is limited to authorized users and legitimate law enforcement purposes. Information maintained within criminal justice systems may also be subject to federal and state confidentiality requirements, CJIS security requirements, applicable California law, department policy, and restrictions contained within interagency agreements.
Information that may be restricted from public release includes, as applicable:
• Criminal justice information protected by federal or state law
• Information associated with active or ongoing criminal investigations
• Information whose release could compromise an investigation or investigative technique
• User credentials, authentication information, and system security information
• Information that could compromise the security or effectiveness of the ALPR system
• Information subject to confidentiality provisions contained within applicable agreements or law
The Department will continue to follow applicable legal requirements and department policies regarding the retention, access, auditing, use, and release of ALPR information.
Future Considerations:
The Red Bluff Police Department will continue to evaluate the effectiveness, condition, and placement of the City's ALPR infrastructure as part of its overall public safety strategy.
As funding and technology permit, the Department may evaluate additional ALPR locations, including major points of entry and exit into the City and areas experiencing higher traffic volumes or recurring criminal activity.
Any future expansion would be evaluated based upon demonstrated public safety needs, available funding, applicable legal requirements, privacy considerations, and the Department's ability to appropriately manage and audit the system.
The Department's goal is to use ALPR technology as one of several investigative tools available to officers and detectives to assist with crime prevention, criminal investigations, recovery of stolen property, locating missing persons, and the apprehension of individuals involved in criminal activity.
No action, funding, or approval is being requested from the City Council as part of this presentation. The purpose of this presentation is to provide the Council with information regarding the City's existing ALPR program, its use by the Red Bluff Police Department, the safeguards associated with its use, and the investigative benefits it has provided.
CITY FISCAL IMPACT:
None
ATTACHMENTS:
1. ALPR Agenda Report 2016
2. Vigilant Solutions Sole Source Letter
3. ALPR Policy