By Cris Alarcon, InEDC Writer. (July 31, 2025)
PLACERVILLE, Calif. — The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office has deployed automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems in patrol vehicles and fixed locations across the county. The technology is supplied by Motorola Solutions (previously Vigilant Solutions) and first approved by the county Board of Supervisors in July 2021, with a purchase and maintenance agreement capped at $675,000.
The ALPR systems aim to enhance crime prevention by automatically scanning passing license plates, flagging stolen vehicles or those linked to active investigations. According to project documents, nearly 70 percent of local crimes involve a vehicle, and the technology is expected to provide investigative leads that might otherwise be missed.
However, civil rights advocates have warned that ALPRs can create sensitive profiles of drivers—capturing timestamps, locations, and travel patterns. In California, sharing such data with agencies outside the state is prohibited under Senate Bill 34 (SB 34), and agencies must maintain public privacy policies under Attorney General Rob Bonta’s guidelines issued in October 2023.
“ALPRs invade people’s privacy and violate the rights of entire communities,” wrote the Electronic Frontier Foundation, noting concerns about routine scanning regardless of wrongdoing. The AG’s office reminded agencies they must identify the purpose of each data access and prevent sharing with federal agencies or out‑of‑state partners except when permitted by law.
Sheriff’s Office leadership says the technology is strictly governed. “All uses of ALPR data are constrained by state law – only plates of interest, such as stolen vehicles or missing persons, trigger alerts — and data sharing is limited to compliant agencies,” a public information officer said.
Records requests filed via the California Public Records Act (by EFF and MuckRock) indicate El Dorado County has not yet released logs of sharing arrangements or detection data. It remains unclear whether any formal agreements exist with outside agencies to receive or provide ALPR data.
Civil‑liberties groups suggest that the Sheriff’s Office publish a clear usage and retention policy in a public-facing portal, as recommended by the AG, and periodically audit compliance with SB 34 and SB 54. Failure to comply, they warn, could result in data misuse or constitutional violations.
As ALPR deployment continues, county residents may request access to policy documents and data‑sharing reports. The Sheriff’s Office has yet to announce a public transparency portal.
