Chico is awaiting the results of an audit into its license plate reader cameras following allegations that police improperly shared data with ICE and Border Patrol.
The audit comes amid broader scrutiny of the surveillance technology nationwide, including across the North State.
Several law enforcement officials have made their views on the cameras public in recent weeks.
Tehama County Sheriff Dave Kain is among those defending his department’s use of license plate readers. Kain told county supervisors on Aug. 25 that the technology is a powerful crime-fighting tool.
“We're evolving in law enforcement as we should, and these things are cutting edge for us solving many crimes that in the years past I would be telling you that we have this cold case that's 10 or 15 years old,” he said.
Kain said his department also has safeguards in place to prevent misuse.
“We have a process in place. The policy is on our website,” Kain said. “The lieutenant that's in charge of these does random spot checks to make sure that no one's abusing the system.”
And Kain’s not alone.
At an Oct. 15 supervisors meeting, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea also touted the effectiveness of the cameras, saying, “we have solved murder cases because we’ve been able to identify suspects leaving the scene of crimes based on their vehicle driving past one of these cameras.”
License plate reader cameras — which take photos of passing cars and collect information that law enforcement can search and share with other agencies — are also used in Lassen, Shasta and Yuba counties.
But Siskiyou Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue has taken a different approach.
LaRue announced last month that he’s not moving forward with cameras his department had contracted for due to privacy concerns.
“The Sheriff’s Office is committed to balancing effective public safety tools with the privacy rights of the Siskiyou County residents and visitors,” the press release read. “We will continue to evaluate emerging technologies thoughtfully and transparently.”
These concerns extend well beyond the North State.
According to a 2024 DOJ report, billions of license plate records are collected nationwide. It recommends strong safeguards and policies to prevent misuse of the technology.
Last week, Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri opened an investigation into Flock Safety, a major maker of the cameras. He cited examples of police misconduct and broader privacy concerns about what he calls a nationwide surveillance network built by Flock.
Hawley demanded records from the company’s CEO by Sept. 8.
