Santa Cruz Sheriff's ALPR Use Cleared by Audit

An audit by the Santa Cruz County Office of Inspector General found no impropriety in the Sheriff's Office use of automated license plate reader data. - 794 queries were made to the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center database in one month.

- All searches were for legitimate law enforcement purposes, such as locating missing persons or investigating violent crimes. - No violations of state privacy laws (SB 34 and SB 54) were found.

- The Sheriff's Office agreed to implement monthly audits and improve documentation. The audit confirms appropriate use of the technology, though critics raise privacy concerns about data access without a direct contract.