Chico officials could soon have the results of an internal investigation into the police department’s license plate reader data-sharing practices. The findings are expected to go before the City Council next month.
The investigation — which is being conducted by the City and Chico Police Department —- should be completed by early September, Councilmember Addison Winslow told NSPR.
Winslow said the results will likely be presented to council members at one of their September meetings. The council meets Sept. 1 and 15.
From there, Winslow said the Council will be asked to give direction on what the city should do with its 27 automated license plate reader cameras manufactured by Motorola.
The cameras have been the subject of deep scrutiny since a ChicoSol investigation revealed last month that Chico police were sharing data with out-of-state and federal agencies, including ICE and Border Patrol.
That type of data sharing is prohibited under California law.
The California Attorney General’s Office told NSPR in an email last week that it would neither confirm nor deny whether it’s investigating the Chico Police Department over the practice.
Chico Police Chief Billy Aldridge wrote in a press release last week that he ordered an internal investigation into the department’s license plate reader policies and practices after considering “community concerns, evolving legal interpretations surrounding LPR information sharing, and the importance of maintaining public confidence.”
In the meantime, Aldridge said access to the data will remain restricted to California law enforcement agencies until the department receives further guidance from legal counsel and city leadership.
