By Carlos E. Casta\u00f1eda<\/p>\n
A San Jose police officer was fired after using a personal device to access automated license plate reader data while off-duty, the police chief said.<\/p>\n
San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph said the officer used the ALPR system to search for the vehicle of a domestic violence victim, and shared the vehicle\u2019s location with the suspect, who is a relative of the officer. The officer was immediately placed on leave and later terminated following a criminal investigation. Joseph said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The case was submitted to the state\u2019s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to determine whether the misconduct warrants a permanent suspension of the officer\u2019s license to work as a peace officer in California, Joseph said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bay Area News Group reported that the unidentified officer had been with the department for about two years and was fired in April after a year-long investigation. The officer\u2019s relative was not criminally charged in the domestic violence case, nor was the officer, the report said, because the state law making it illegal for officers to access confidential databases without a legitimate law-enforcement purpose does not cover ALPR data.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Joseph said the San Jose Police Department instituted new policies last week in response to the former officer\u2019s improper accessing of ALPR data. The new policies restrict ALPR and all other law enforcement sensitive systems from being accessed on personal devices. All officers were also admonished that improper access of ALPR and other law enforcement systems is grounds for termination, Joseph said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen an officer violates the public\u2019s trust this severely, my responsibility is clear: that person cannot remain in a position of police authority, and they cannot wear the San Jos\u00e9 badge,\u201d Joseph said in a prepared statement. \u201cThis technology is new; the standard is not.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
Joseph said that in addition to the current monthly ALPR audits, the department is testing smart auditing tools that would flag instances of access without a lawful purpose.<\/p>\n
San Jose launched its ALPR network with Atlanta-based provider Flock Safety in 2021 beginning with four cameras in a single intersection as a pilot program. The network has since grown to nearly 500 cameras across the city. Law enforcement agencies nationwide credit the cameras for significant drops in crime, but critics say the cameras violate people\u2019s\u00a0privacy rights, create databases of people engaged in lawful activities, and allow data to be shared across jurisdictions.<\/p>\n
In March, San Jose\u00a0placed restrictions on its ALPR network<\/a>, prohibiting cameras from recording vehicles at houses of worship and reproductive health clinics and restricting access by federal and immigration agencies. The new rules also reduced the data storage period from one year to 30 days. The changes came following a November 2025 lawsuit against the city filed by local advocacy groups<\/a> who allege that ALPR data searches by law enforcement violate drivers\u2019 privacy rights under the California Constitution.<\/p>\n