Surveillance Watch Benicia

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RE: Please update Benicia's ALPR Policy

File: RE_ Please update Benicia's ALPR Policy-Redacted (2).pdf Request: PR-2025-199 Sent: 2025-10-06 00:00:00 +0000 UTC Type: document Size: 891 KB OCR'd image-only scan

The original file is withheld. It contains personal information — a private individual's contact details, or a redaction the City itself applied elsewhere in this thread and missed here — that is removed from the text below. The record is otherwise published in full. The redacted text file is downloadable.

--- page 1 ---
10/6/202512:56:39PM
Sent:
From:
Mark Menesini <MMenesini@ci.benicia.ca.us
To:
"Lionel"
Cc:
Bcc:
Importance: Normal
Subject:
RE: Please update Benicia's ALPR Policy
Attachments
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Lionel,
Thanks forthe response.These safeguards have been put in place since the ALPR technology was implemented in
2021.Iappreciateyousharingthisinformationwith
MarkMenesini
Police Chief
PoliceDepartment
ENIC
O:707-746-4262
1941
EST.
POLICE
MMenesini@ci.benicia.ca.u
THE
CITY
S
BENICIA
www.ci.benicia.ca.us/police
F@on
From:Lionel Largaespada<LLargaespada@ci.benicia.ca.us>
Sent:Monday,0ctober6,202512:53PM
To:
Subject:Re:PleaseupdateBenicia'sALPRPolicy
Hi
Thanksforthesequestions.
TheBeniciaPolice Department's ALPRPolicy(Policy470) is attached and available onthe City of Benicia'swebsite
here:https://www.ci.benicia.ca.us/index.asp?SEC=68826789-63C6-4FAF-A4C2-04FB539FE803&DE=ED828606-AC77-
47E9-97AC-7546BDB48514.
Thepolicycoversalloftheareasyou'veaskedabout.
It authorizesALPRtechnologyonlyforreading and comparinglicenseplatesand doesnotpermit anykind of
predictive,biometric, or Al-based surveillance of people or behavior (Sections 470.1 and 470.4).
It alsoprohibits sharing data with ICE or CBP underthe California Values Act(Sections 470.7 and 470.9), requires
supervisoryapprovalandwrittendocumentationforanyotherdatasharing(470.9),mandatesquarterlyauditsby
misuse (470.3.1and 470.4).

— page 2 — TheCouncil receivesregularupdatesfromtheChief,and theCityManager and Chiefsetthetimingforwhen audit summariesorpolicyupdatesaresharedpublicly.It’susuallyasquicklyaspossible. safeguards you’ve asked about, and I’m confident it will continue to strike the right balance between privacy, accountability, and public safety. Sincerely, Lionel Lionel Largaespada CouncilMember ElectedOfficial O:707-746-4213|C: 415-377-XXXX LLargaespada@ci.benicia.ca.us THE CITY BENICIA www.ci.benicia.ca.us VINNOTY f@on City Hall is closed on alternating Fridays.Learn more about closures here. From: Sent:Sunday,0ctober5,202511:29AM To:Lionel Largaespada<LLargaespada@ci.benicia.ca.us> Subject:Re:Please update Benicia’s ALPR Policy Caution: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or Lionel, open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Thank you so much for your quick reply. IhaveafewquestionsIhopeyoucananswer. Does the existing ALPR policy have specific language written that “does not permit predictive or Alsurveillanceofpeopleorbehavior”? Please share the link to the ALPR Policy. Are the “quarterly audits of ALPR use”, including “results documented and reviewed by the Chief of Police”, made available for the Mayor and City Council members to review? Will these resultsbepresentedataCityCouncilmeeting? Thank you for your time, OnFri, Oct 3,2025 at 11:24AMLionel Largaespada<LLargaespada@ci.benicia.ca.us>wrote:

— page 3 — Hi Thank you for writing me with your concerns. I want to reassure you that our existing ALPR policy already addresses whatyou’verequested. The policy only authorizes ALPR technology to capture license plates and does not permit predictive or Al surveillance of people orbehavior.It explicitly prohibits sharing data withICE and CBPunder the California Values law,theServicesLieutenantconductsquarterlyauditsofALPRuse,withresultsdocumented andreviewed bythe Chiefof Police.The policy is posted publicly on the department’s website,and violations carry administrative,civil, orevencriminalpenalties. Thanks again for writing. The measures you suggested are already addressed under our existing policy. Sincerely, Lionel Lionel Largaespada Council Member ElectedOfficial O: 707-746-4213 | C: 415-377-XXXX LLargaespada@ci.benicia.ca.us THE CITY BENICIA www.ci.benicia.ca.us City Hall is closed on alternating Fridays. Learn more about closures here. From: Sent:Friday,October3,202510:50AM To: SteveYoung<SYoung@ci.benicia.ca.us>; Trevor Macenski<TMacenski@ci.benicia.ca.us>;Kari Birdseye <KBirdseye@ci.benicia.ca.us>; Lionel Largaespada<LLargaespada@ci.benicia.ca.us>; Terry Scott <TScott@ci.benicia.ca.us> Subject:PleaseupdateBenicia’sALPRPolicy Caution: This email originated from outside of the organization.Do not click links or Dear Mayor open attachments unlessyou recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Young and Benicia City Council Members, I respectfully urge the Council to update Benicia’s Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) Policy to ensure stronger community protections. Specifically, I ask that you consider amendments to:

  1. Prohibit the deployment of Al surveillance technologies in Benicia;
  2. Prevent the sharing of license plate data with federal agencies unless explicitly approved by the City Council; publicly available; 4.Require that updates to theALPRpolicyincludeCityCouncil approval. Thank you for your leadership and for your continued commitment to protecting the privacy andsafetyofBeniciaresidents.

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— page 5 — Public Records Exemptions Enclosed please find a copy of the response documents for your public process employed to review and produce the response documents. Reason Description Pages 1 of 1