California AG sues city for allowing out-of-state searches of license plate reader database

California’s state government on Thursday filed suit against a San Diego County city and its police department, alleging that officers there routinely search an automated license plate reader (ALPR) camera database for law enforcement outside of the state in violation of the law.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta contends that officers in the city of El Cajon, on behalf of police in 26 other states, have searched a Flock Safety database that stores images of license plates as well as the dates, times and locations at which cameras spotted them. 

It is against California law for officers to check ALPR databases on behalf of federal law enforcement and police agencies outside of the state, according to Bonta’s office.

Bonta is asking the court to stop El Cajon from making the searches and clarify that his office’s reading of the state law is correct. The petition notes that there is “controversy” over whether state law in fact bars the searches.

The petition filed by Bonta’s office alleges that his office has asked officials in El Cajon to stop performing the searches, but they have allowed officers to continue making them.

Flock products have become controversial as more police departments have embraced the technology. Some police agencies have been found searching databases in outside jurisdictions for undocumented immigrants and for abortion patients.

Flock, the leading ALPR manufacturer, has its cameras mounted in more than 6,000 American cities and towns.

“To protect public safety, you need public trust,” Bonta said in a prepared statement. “When information about Californians leaves the state, we no longer have any say over how it is used or shared.”

A spokesperson for the El Cajon Police Department and for the city of El Cajon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.