Title
Recommendation to Accept Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) Systems Audit Report. (Police 3121)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Elizabeth D. Warmerdam, Interim City Manager
Re: Recommendation to Accept Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) Systems Audit Report
BACKGROUND
On May 20, 2014, City Council authorized the Alameda Police Department to purchase four vehicle mounted, three-camera Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) systems. On July 15, 2014, an ALPR draft policy was presented to the City Council. Following the meeting, a permanent policy was developed and implemented for the ALPR equipment. The policy states that ALPR system audits shall be conducted by the Inspectional Services Supervisor at least every six months during the first two years subsequent to implementation and no less than annually thereafter (see Exhibit 2).
DISCUSSION
Following the purchase of the ALPR equipment, a policy was developed establishing guidelines for the deployment and actions permissible when using the system. This policy includes a section dedicated to “Auditing and Oversight.” It was imperative for the Police Department to conduct a comprehensive audit for the following reasons:
1) To be in compliance with the ALPR policy;
2) To ensure the ALPR equipment was being utilized in accordance with the policy; and
3) To ensure public trust regarding the new equipment.
During the July 15, 2014 council meeting presentation, Chief Rolleri agreed to present the results of the first ALPR system audit following the first six months of implementation (see Exhibit 1).
The following is a synopsis of the audit results:
• During the six month audit period, there were 995,029 vehicle license plates scanned by the four ALPR units, with 824 tentative hits, resulting in a tentative hit percentage of .08%. Tentative hits included stolen vehicle, stolen license plate, stolen vehicle part, missing person, gang/terrorist member, sexual offender, felony warrant, and wanted person.
• Six Hundred and twenty one (621) of the tentative hits were repeated hits.
• Forty (40) of the hits were stolen vehicles. Twenty eight (28) stolen vehicles were recovered.
• There were 68 queries into the ALPR database during the audit period with 38 of the queries immediately found to have legitimate law enforcement purposes.
• The 30 unconfirmed queries appear to have had a legitimate law enforcement purpose after further research. These queries that were initially unconfirmed were partly a result of improper set up of the ALPR system. That has since been corrected.
• Reports seeking ALPR detections by the Alameda Police Department beyond 183 days yielded no results from the database, confirming adherence to the six month data retention period.
• The results of the audit revealed that the Police Department is using the ALPR system as intended. There were no impermissible uses of the ALPR system identified.
• The ALPR system was instrumental in numerous cases during the six month audit period. Ten (10) such cases were highlighted in the audit ranging from the apprehension of felony suspects, the confiscation of loaded firearms and narcotics along with the detection of a suicidal missing person.
• Four (4) Recommendations were noted as a result of the audit:
o Require a report or incident card documentation for every ALPR database query, listing the plate queried and the reason.
o Distribute the oversight responsibility of ALPR hits to the patrol sergeants.
o Establish written procedure for ALPR users in a Training Bulletin.
o Consider adjustment of the ALPR data retention period.
The Police Department anticipates the next ALPR systems audit will be completed in February of 2016.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact from this action.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is in conformance with the Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is not a project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines section 10561(b)(3) as there is no possibility that this action may have a significant effect on the environment.
RECOMMENDATION
Accept Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) Systems audit report
Respectfully submitted,
Paul J. Rolleri, Chief of Police
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) Systems Audit Report
2. Policy 462 - Automated License Plate Readers