WE ARE CALLING ON ALL AGENCIES IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY TO END ITS USE OF AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS (ALPRs) BY TERMINATING ITS CONTRACT WITH FLOCK SAFETY, AXON, AND MOTOROLA AND NOT SEEKING ANOTHER ALPR VENDOR.

Petition will be delivered to: Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, Sacramento Sheriff, Folsom City Council, Rancho Cordova City Council, Citrus Heights City Council, Sacramento City Council, Elk Grove City Council, and Galt City Council.

Across Sacramento County, ALPRs are being implemented by law enforcement and private entities under the guise of enhancing public safety. However, research shows that these devices often fail to deliver on their promises. A study conducted by the ACLU found that only a small fraction of data collected by ALPRs pertains to criminal activity, leaving vast amounts of personal information on law-abiding citizens unnecessarily vulnerable. This draconian surveillance doesn't just intrude on privacy -- it erodes the trust between community members and local authorities.

ALPRs capture license plate data indiscriminately, tracking vehicles with no distinction between innocent civilians and potential suspects. This has led to documented racial profiling and targeted enforcement, disproportionately impacting minority communities. Sacramento should not equate security with surveillance at the cost of essential civil liberties. What's more, the storage and management of this immense volume of data lacks transparency and accountability, exposing it to potential misuse and breaches.

In other cities, public resistance has led to the reevaluation and effective reduction of ALPR use. Oakland stopped funding more ALPR systems after opposition from community members, underscoring the importance of public input and vigilance. We can accomplish the same in Sacramento County through concerted effort and proactive dialogue with our elected officials.

DOES IT REALLY MATTER?

People may say they have “nothing to hide,” and being surveilled does not matter to them because they are not breaking the law. Still, what is worth hiding can change. In 2022, a Supreme Court decision ended a half-century of legal abortion by overturning Roe v. Wade. Overnight, abortion became illegal in the 13 states with “trigger laws” that were waiting for the Supreme Court’s ruling. On June 24, 2022, people seeking abortions had “nothing to hide,” but on June 25, essential reproductive care was now a crime.

In fact, in May of last year, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in Texas conducted a nationwide search of the Flock ALPR network “to look for a woman who self-administered an abortion” as part of an investigation “into the death of the fetus” to determine “whether they could charge the woman with a crime.”

WHAT ABOUT SWITCHING TO ANOTHER ALPR VENDOR?

Many cities are switching to Axon, Genetec, Motorola Vigilant, Leonardo, and other ALPR vendors. Sacramento County should NOT do this. ALPR systems are being used to carry out warrantless searches, violating our 4th Amendment rights. The Fourth Amendment (Amendment IV) to the United States Constitution prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures and sets requirements for issuing warrants: warrants must be issued by a judge or magistrate, justified by probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and must particularly describe the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized. Networks of ALPR cameras create a dragnet of indiscriminate tracking and surveillance, and it seems clear that searches of the data collected about our movements constitute 4th Amendment searches. Without obtaining a warrant for these searches, the Sacramento Sheriff Office, all local Police Departments, and other agencies are violating our 4th Amendment rights. We believe the Supreme Court ruling in Carpenter v. United States (2018) combined with the recent ruling in Chatrie v. United States (2026) affirm this.

I urge the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, Folsom City Council, Rancho Cordova City Council, Citrus Heights City Council, Sacramento City Council, Elk Grove City Council, and Galt City Council and all local law enforcement agencies to halt the deployment of ALPRs immediately and engage with the community to explore alternative methods that enhance safety without compromising our privacy.

Sign this petition to demand a moratorium on ALPR usage in Sacramento County and ensure our region remains a place where trust, privacy, and community spirit are valued above intrusive surveillance technologies. This is a crucial step towards a more transparent and fair governance system that respects the dignity and freedoms of every resident.