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Report regarding the status of the South San Francisco Police Department’s Fixed-Mount Automated License Plate Reader Program (ALPR), ALPR vendor research, and future of the program. (Anthony Pinell, Captain, Police Department)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Move to direct the City Manager and relevant staff to draft a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the City’s next Fixed-Mount ALPR vendor with the intent to publish the solicitation no later than January 30, 2027, and report back to Council with the evaluation results and recommendation by April 30, 2027.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The City of South San Francisco has contracted with Flock Safety to provide fixed-mount Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) services since November 2022. Since implementation, the system has served as a valuable investigative tool, contributing to 163 arrests, the recovery of 109 stolen vehicles, and the recovery of nine firearms. Notably, ALPR technology has assisted officers and detectives in apprehending suspects involved in serious felony offenses, including attempted murders, shootings, stabbings, sexual assaults, robberies, kidnappings, burglaries, and vehicular manslaughter. The system has also been used to help locate at risk missing persons.
While this technology has improved the efficiency and effectiveness of investigations and helped bring criminal offenders into custody, the department recognizes community concerns regarding privacy and access to ALPR data. The South San Francisco Police Department (SSFPD) takes these concerns seriously and adheres to applicable state laws and department policies governing access to and sharing of ALPR data. The department also conducts monthly system audits to monitor compliance and has confirmed that SSFPD personnel have consistently accessed ALPR data in accordance with department policy and state law.
In July 2026, the Department received a California Public Records Act request seeking an “all-time” network audit of the Flock ALPR system. During the subsequent comprehensive audit, the Department discovered that the City’s Flock database had inadvertently been included in a nationwide lookup function without the authorization of SSFPD or its personnel. This occurred from January 2024 through March 2025. During this period, when an agency conducted a nationwide lookup, the city’s database was queried alongside thousands of other databases throughout the country.
From March 2025 through August 2025, Flock disabled the nationwide lookup function but continued to allow access to the City’s database by all California law enforcement agencies, again without SSFPD’s authorization. From November of 2022 until January of 2024, and since August of 2025, the system has operated as intended, with ALPR data shared only with authorized agencies that have executed written data sharing agreements.
The audit also identified five agencies that conducted nationwide lookup searches during the affected period and included the term “immigration” in the stated reason for their searches. These agencies were contacted, and the department determined that the searches were related to criminal investigations involving activities such as fraud and narcotics trafficking. No evidence was identified indicating that these searches had a connection to South San Francisco.
The Department did not identify any searches conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). However, other federal agencies, primarily the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), did conduct searches during the affected period.
SSFPD notified Flock of the unauthorized data sharing issue. Flock was unable to explain how the issue occurred because its audit logs did not identify who had enabled or disabled the nationwide search function. Flock has since implemented additional safeguards, including logging all records and changes related to nationwide search enrollment and excluding California agencies from the nationwide lookup feature.
In August 2026, the Department identified multiple service agreements between the City and Flock Safety with different expiration dates. One agreement listed an expiration date of September 8, 2026, while another listed August 19, 2027. Following a review with city staff and Flock, it was determined that the agreement signed on August 19, 2025, by a Lieutenant who has since retired, was the most current agreement. That agreement was intended to align multiple active contracts resulting from the expansion of the program but inadvertently extended the agreement by an additional year.
A separate agenda item is scheduled for the November 10, 2026, City Council meeting to seek authorization to fund the program through August 19, 2027, using existing funds within the Police Department’s budget.
Discussion
At Council’s prior direction, and in anticipation of the expiration of the current Flock agreement, (subject to Council approval at the November 10, 2026, City Council meeting) staff conducted preliminary research into five vendors that provide fixed-mount ALPR services.
The research identified several differences in vendor business models, equipment costs, installation requirements, network capabilities, and system integration. Some vendors lease cameras to the city, while others require the city to purchase the equipment. Installation is included by some vendors, while other vendors require the city to arrange installation independently or use a preferred contractor, potentially resulting in additional costs of several hundred thousand dollars.
The research also identified differences in the size and capabilities of the camera networks offered by each vendor, as well as their ability to integrate with the City’s existing digital systems and technology infrastructure. These differences will be important considerations in evaluating the overall value, operational effectiveness, and long-term sustainability of each proposal.
Preliminary pricing indicates that camera costs generally range from approximately $2,000 to $3,000 per camera annually, although total program costs will vary depending on the vendor’s pricing structure, number of cameras, installation requirements, and available features.
Given the importance of ALPR technology to criminal investigations, the need to protect community privacy, and the concerns identified during the audit of the current system, staff recommend conducting a competitive procurement process. An RFP will allow the city to establish clear requirements and objectively evaluate vendors based on cost, technology, investigative capabilities, networking, data security, privacy protections, access controls, auditability, data-sharing restrictions, and compliance with applicable laws.
The proposed timeline would allow staff to develop and publish the RFP by January 30, 2027, evaluate submissions, and return to Council with the results and a recommendation by April 30, 2027. This process will provide Council with the information necessary to make an informed decision regarding the future of the City’s fixed-mount ALPR program.
Fiscal Impact
This report has no fiscal impact.
Relationship to City Council Priorities Action Plan
This report supports the Modern and Sustainable Organization major focus area by ensuring our ALPR system is consistent with public safety, privacy, applicable law, and is the best fit for our community.
Attachments:
1. Presentation/ Slide Deck