RE: Please update Benicia's ALPR Policy
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--- page 1 --- 10/6/20251:58:22PM Sent: From: Edward Criado <ECriado@ci.benicia.ca.us To: "Lionel" Cc: Bcc: Importance: Normal Subject: RE: Please update Benicia's ALPR Policy Attachments image001.png_,image002.png_, image003.png ,image004.png,image005.png,image938212.png ,image051540.png,image806860.png,image476470.png , image952214.png,image304817.png Thank you Ted EdwardCriad Deputy Police Chief PoliceDepartment 1941 EST O:707-746-4259 POLICE ECriado@ci.benicia.ca.us BENICIA THECITY www.ci.benicia.ca.us/police From:Lionel Largaespada<LLargaespada@ci.benicia.ca.us> Sent:Monday,0ctober6,202512:53PM To Subject:Re:PleaseupdateBenicia'sALPRPolicy Hi Thanksforthese questions. TheBeniciaPoliceDepartment'sALPRPolicy(Policy470) is attached and availableon theCityofBenicia'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 authorizesALPRtechnology onlyforreading andcomparinglicenseplatesand doesnotpermit anykind of predictive,biometric, or Al-based surveillance of people orbehavior(Sections 470.1 and 470.4). It alsoprohibitssharingdata withICEorCBPundertheCaliforniaValuesAct(Sections470.7and 470.9),requires supervisory approval and written documentationfor any other datasharing(470.9),mandates quarterly audits by misuse (470.3.1 and 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 VINOTY 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 — addresseswhatyou’verequested. ThepolicyonlyauthorizesALPRtechnologytocapturelicenseplatesanddoesnotpermitpredictiveorAl surveillanceofpeopleorbehavior.It explicitlyprohibitssharingdatawithICEand CBPundertheCaliforniaValues 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 forwriting.The measures you suggested are already addressed under our existing policy. Sincerely, Lionel Lionel Largaespada Council Member ElectedOfficiall O: 707-746-4213 1 C: 415-377-XXXX LLargaespada@ci.benicia.ca.us THE CITY BENICIA www.ci.benicia.ca.us City Hall is closed on alternatingFridays. Learn more about closures here. From Sent:Friday,October3,202510:50AM To: SteveYoung<SYoung@ci.benicia.ca.us>; TrevorMacenski<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 unless you 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:
- Prohibit the deployment of Al surveillance technologies in Benicia;
- Prevent the sharing of license plate data with federal agencies unless explicitly approved by the City Council;
- Strengthen and increase the transparency of system audits, including making audit results 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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