Our POLICE DEPARTMENT

Automated license plate readers (ALPR)

The City of Pleasanton has operated fixed Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) cameras since 2019. Since 2023, we have transitioned vendors and now exclusively use a Flock ALPR system. 

This page answers common questions about the ALPR system. The City has found ALPR cameras to be a valuable tool in preventing and solving crime. 

We also understand the community’s concerns about privacy and our fundamental obligation to balance the use of investigative tools with the protection of individual privacy.

For more information about data collection, see the Flock Transparency Portal. 

Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology allows for the detection of license plates and vehicles without license plates. The technology provides real-time alerts to the Police Department when it detects a license plate associated with a stolen vehicle, stolen license plate, wanted vehicle, or missing person. License plate data and vehicle images may be used for specific, active investigations.
ALPR cameras are strategically installed at locations that may be any of the following:
  1. Entrances to the City of Pleasanton
  2. Exits from the City of Pleasanton
  3. High-traffic intersections or significant thoroughfares
  4. Intersections surrounding key infrastructure or high-crime areas

The following are the current or planned locations of cameras as of 8/1/2026:

  1. Eastbound Dublin Canyon Road (west of Canyon Creek Circle)
  2. Eastbound Owens Drive / Hopyard Road
  3. Northbound Johnson Drive / Owens Drive
  4. Northbound Johnson Drive (north of Stoneridge Drive)
  5. Eastbound Owens Drive (east of Hacienda Drive)
  6. Westbound Owens Drive / Hopyard Road
  7. Eastbound Pimlico Drive / Santa Rita Road
  8. Eastbound Valley Avenue / Santa Rita Road
  9. Northbound Santa Rita Road / Valley Avenue
  10. Southbound Santa Rita Road / Valley Avenue
  11. Westbound Valley Avenue / Santa Rita Road
  12. Northbound Foothill Road (south of Golden Eagle Way)
  13. Southbound Foothill Road / Stoneridge Drive
  14. Northbound Stoneridge Mall Road / Canyon Way
  15. Southbound Stoneridge Mall Road / Canyon Way
  16. Westbound Canyon Way / Stoneridge Mall Road
  17. Northbound Stoneridge Mall Road / Stoneridge Drive
  18. Northbound Sunol / I-680
  19. Southbound Auto Mall Way / Stoneridge Drive
  20. Southbound Hopyard / Stoneridge Drive
  21. Southbound Santa Rita Road / Stoneridge Drive
  22. Westbound Stoneridge Drive / El Charro Road
  23. Westbound Stanley Blvd / Shadow Cliffs
  24. Eastbound Vineyard Avenue (west of Ruby Hill Blvd)
  25. Westbound Vineyard Avenue / Ruby Hill Drive
  26. Eastbound Happy Valley Road / Alisal Street
  27. Southbound First Street / Neal Street
  28. Northbound First Street / Kottinger Drive

ALPR cameras capture full license plate numbers and partial license plate numbers of obscured plates. They can also recognize vehicles and vehicle attributes, such as make, model, color, and body style. This allows for detection of vehicles without license plates. Unique details such as roof racks, toolboxes, trailers, bumper stickers, decals, and damage can also be identified. 

The cameras capture a still image of recognized vehicles and logs this data with a date, time, and location of when the vehicle was scanned.

Often when a crime occurs, a perpetrator’s license plate may not be captured by victims, witnesses, or security cameras. Also, perpetrators of crime are known to switch or remove vehicle license plates when committing crime to avoid detection. In many cases, distinguishing features of a vehicle can be used to identify an investigative lead without a license plate.

Data collected from Pleasanton’s ALPR cameras are stored for 30 days. The data is purged automatically after 30 days. If a specific piece of data becomes relevant to an active investigation, that data will be individually saved as evidence for the duration of the investigation and any court proceedings which may result.
No. The ALPR cameras are designed to identify vehicle information. They do not utilize facial recognition technology.

Data collected by Pleasanton’s cameras is controlled by the City of Pleasanton. This data is never shared or sold to private entities. Trained investigative staff from the Police Department may access the data for legitimate law enforcement purposes.

The Pleasanton Police Department does participate in sharing relationships with other California law enforcement agencies. We limit our sharing with agencies by region. We only share with law enforcement agencies operating in the Bay Area, Central Valley, and Greater Sacramento region.

Under California law and Pleasanton Police Department policy, ALPR data cannot be shared with any federal agencies or agencies from another state. Flock has built-in safeguards which do not allow any California agency to share, intentionally or accidentally, with any private, federal, or out-of-state agency.

No. California law and Pleasanton Police Department policy both strictly prohibit ALPR data from being used for immigration enforcement. The Pleasanton Police Department does not enforce federal immigration laws. Every agency we have a sharing relationship with is subject to the same California laws prohibiting data being used for immigration.

Additionally, Flock has built-in safeguards which do not allow any California agency to share, intentionally or accidentally, with any private, federal, or out-of-state agency.