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UCAN’s Automated License Plate Readers

Frequently Asked Questions

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UCAN maintains 11 Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) that cover all roadway entrances to the UCAN neighborhood. UCAN is the largest private user of ALPRs in the area and other Berkeley and Oakland neighborhoods have contacted us to ask about how they might duplicate what we have accomplished. Despite our success, many UCAN neighbors are unaware of what we are doing with these devices. The Board has prepared this summary to share information about our cameras.

 

What are Automated License Plate Readers? The ALPRs used by UCAN are not video surveillance cameras. No photographs or videos of humans are created. The ALPR devices take time-stamped photographs of license plates and record the color, model and make of cars that enter or leave the neighborhood. The Flock system immediately compares that information to a database of stolen vehicles and vehicles that have been used in crimes. The cameras do not record the faces of drivers, passengers, or pedestrians.

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How are UCANs ALPR used? The Berkeley Police Department (BPD) now has direct access to UCAN ALPR data and routinely searches the UCAN database if police personnel believe ALPR records will assist the investigation of a neighborhood crime. The BPD also searches UCAN ALPR data along with data from its own ALPR cameras to investigate other crimes or respond to alerts about “hotlist” hits (vehicles reported stolen or linked to crimes). UCAN staff can also search the UCAN ALPR database directly, and have occasionally done so. 

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If a crime in our neighborhood is reported to the Berkeley or Oakland police, four UCAN volunteers are authorized to perform searches of cars in the vicinity around the time of the crime and share information with the police. Searches by UCAN volunteers have significantly diminished now that the Berkeley Police have direct access to UCAN data. Searches by UCAN volunteers are only conducted for reported crimes, and information is only provided to the Oakland or Berkeley police. UCAN volunteers will not search the database for “suspicious activity” and will only share information with police personnel, not with neighbors. Any search of the UCAN database is automatically logged by the system and UCAN performs audits to ensure that searches are only performed by authorized individuals for authorized purposes. If you have reported a crime, you can contact UCAN volunteers by emailing cameras@uplandsclaremont.org. The volunteer will collect information and work with the police to perform a license plate search if the police believe it would be helpful. 

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Can police connect to UCAN ALPRs? The Berkeley Police Department (but no other police department) can directly search UCAN license plate data. The BPD is also automatically notified whenever the license plate of a “hotlist” vehicle is detected in the neighborhood. Now that the connection with the BPD is established, Berkeley police personnel directly search UCAN-captured license plate data to investigate neighborhood crimes; UCAN volunteers have not had to perform any searches recently. All BPD searches of the UCAN license plate data are logged, the same as searches performed by UCAN volunteers. During the first 30 days of August there were 658 searches of the UCAN network data by Berkeley Police Department personnel. Eleven of these searches included only UCAN network data and were related to neighborhood crimes. The remaining searches were performed in conjunction with searches of other ALPR camera networks and were presumably related to other crimes.

 

How many license plates are recorded by UCAN ALPRs? For those of you who are curious, an average of 4,109 unique vehicles enter our neighborhood every day. We have 504 residences in the UCAN community; most of these 4109 vehicles are simply passing through our neighborhood and do not belong to local residents. On an average day, 1.8 “hotlist” vehicles drive into our neighborhood every day. 

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Do the police have their own ALPRs? The 11 license plate readers used by UCAN are licensed from Flock Safety. The Berkeley Police Department also has 51 Flock license plate readers and other cameras in use. Information about the City of Berkeley cameras can be found on the City of Berkeley Transparency Portal. The City of Berkeley is also considering installing video surveillance cameras in commercial districts, and this proposal has generated some controversy and confusion. Video surveillance cameras — which capture images of people — are also made by Flock Safety, but are fundamentally different from license plate reading devices. UCAN does not have any video surveillance cameras. 

 

Do the UCAN license plate readers deter crime? It is impossible to answer this question with certainty. According to Berkeley Police personnel, a large percentage of property crimes are committed by people driving stolen vehicles, which ALPRs are designed to detect. It has been reported that the installation of ALPRs by the Berkeley police has resulted in more than 50 arrests and the recovery of 40 stolen vehicles. In addition, nearly 100 police investigations were supported by ALPR data in some manner. But clearly the devices do not prevent all crimes. Police statistics indicate property crime has decreased in our neighborhood, but crime has also decreased in other parts of Berkeley where there are no private ALPR devices. The license plate data is also used to investigate other types of crime. For example, police received a report about a student on foot in the UCAN neighborhood who was followed by a car and solicited by its occupants. UCAN ALPR data was provided to the police as part of their investigation and follow-up.

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Where are UCAN ALPRs located? The UCAN license-plate readers are located on private property — on eleven of our neighbors’ property. These neighbors have all given permission to install the devices, and UCAN is thankful for their commitment. Camera hosts are not asked to pay UCAN dues, but receive no other consideration for their public-spirited service. 

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How much do the ALPRs cost? UCAN paid Flock safety $650 per device for installation, and then $2,500 per year per device for operation, maintenance, storage of data, etc. In addition, UCAN incurred additional costs to run power to a few devices that did not receive sufficient sun for solar charging. These costs are covered by UCAN’s annual dues.

 

What is the length of UCAN’s contract with Flock? Two years, running through the end of 2026.

 

What happens to the ALPRs if UCAN does not collect enough dues for 2026 to cover ongoing costs? The UCAN dues campaign for 2026 will kick off in a few weeks. If UCAN receives the same level of contribution in 2026 as it received in its first year, the cameras will remain operational in 2026. If people do not contribute to UCAN in sufficient numbers, the neighborhood association will not be able to service its contract and will cease ALPR operations. Assuming UCAN can continue the 2nd year of the contract, neighbors will evaluate whether to renew the contract for an additional term in late 2026. 

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What safeguards are present to prevent UCAN ALPR data from being used inappropriately? No electronic system can be completely protected from abuse, just as no home can be completely protected from crime. As would be expected, neighbors in our community have different ideas about the best tradeoff between privacy and safety. In addition to restricting access to the database, providing information only to local police, and auditing all searches, UCAN has taken the following steps to prevent inappropriate use: ALPR data is only retained for 30 days. The Berkeley Police Department — the only department with direct access to the UCAN database — is prohibited from responding to routine data requests from federal immigration authorities. ALPRs run by cities share access to their data with police in neighboring cities, which reportedly enabled a police department on the Peninsula to share Bay Area data outside the state (in violation of California law). UCAN only shares its data with the Berkeley Police Department. That said, UCAN does rely on the Berkeley Police to use UCAN data appropriately and and in conformance with its policies, and does rely on Flock’s representation that UCAN ALPR data is not routinely made available to others unless UCAN provides explicit permission. 

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Is Flock camera data permanently deleted after 30 days, or can it be recovered for subpoena, other legal action, etc.? It is permanently deleted.

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Can a private investigator obtain access to UCAN ALPR data, with or without a subpoena? It is possible that Flock may be required by law to submit data/ evidence to an attorney, if they request it within 30 days of it being recorded.

 

What are State and City Statues that protect privacy of ALPR data? UCAN operates in compliance with California state law and City of Berkeley policy, which restrict how ALPR data may be used with respect to immigration enforcement:

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  • California State Laws
     

    • SB 54 (California Values Act, 2017): Limits cooperation by state/local law enforcement with federal immigration authorities, and governs use of databases (including ALPR data) for immigration enforcement.
       

    • SB 34 (2015): Requires public agencies to have usage and privacy policies for ALPR systems, limits sharing of ALPR data with out-of-state and federal agencies (including immigration authorities), and mandates transparency.
       

  • City of Berkeley Policy
     

    • Berkeley’s Surveillance Use Policy – Fixed Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) specifically limits uses to California law enforcement purposes and prohibits sharing ALPR data for immigration enforcement.
       

    • Additionally, the City is a self-declared sanctuary city and the City’s Surveillance Technology Ordinance and related Council policy documents state that ALPR data gathered by the City or its contractors/subcontractors may not be disclosed to federal immigration authorities. 

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Can I opt out of having my own vehicle monitored? Anyone who doesn’t want their car tracked can contact camera@uplandsclaremont.com and we will put it on a do-not-track list. If you opt out, your vehicle data is deleted as soon as it is detected and is never reported to Flock or law enforcement agencies. If your car is subsequently stolen the police will not be able to use UCAN Flock ALPR data to find the vehicle.

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What happened to the Flock signs? Many neighbors (and the UCAN Board) believed that would-be-thieves would be deterred by signs informing them about license plate readers in our community. UCAN volunteers installed a number of signs in our neighborhood, adjusting locations in response to neighbor suggestions about where signs should be posted. Shortly after being installed, several signs were defaced with black paint. We have taken defaced signs down and do not intend to replace them due to cost and volunteer time considerations. 

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How is ALPR maintenance handled? Flock is responsible for maintenance and monitors device performance and wellness remotely (capture rate, battery life, solar power, etc). It will send an engineer if a device shows signs that attention is required or performance is not optimal. UCAN is not required to check or maintain the devices, but UCAN volunteers have been called upon to trim trees that have been blocking a device or shading its solar charging panel.

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How can I learn more? We hope this summary is helpful. If you live in the UCAN neighborhood and have specific questions, email them to board@uplandsclaremont.com and we will try to provide an answer.

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Updated September, 2025

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