California lawmaker seeks criminal penalties for misuse of license plate reader data
A California Assemblyman is proposing a bill to impose criminal penalties for the misuse of data collected by license plate readers, following recent misconduct cases involving police departments in Stockton and San Jose.
Earlier this month, an employee with the Stockton Police Department was let go after an audit revealed possible misconduct involving Flock data. The department has not disclosed the nature of the misconduct or whether the employee was an officer. Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden stated that he had alerted the district attorney and the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, which certifies officers.
In another case, a San Jose police officer was fired for accessing Flock data related to the car of a domestic violence victim and sharing it with his cousin.
Assemblyman Matt Haney, a Democrat from San Francisco, is behind the proposed legislation.
“You don’t get to use that information to track someone for personal reasons, share it with a friend or family member, or use it for anything unrelated to your job,” Haney said. “If you abuse that access, there should be criminal consequences, and you should be prosecuted.”
Haney’s bill would establish criminal penalties for officers, government employees, and others who improperly access or share license plate reader data. It would also require agencies using such technology to train employees on privacy and civil liberties protections and conduct regular audits to identify potential misuse.
Haney said he plans to introduce the bill when lawmakers return to session in January.
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