An audit of the Austin Police Department's License Plate Reader program revealed compliance with policies but identified significant areas for improvement regarding privacy and internal procedures. The findings indicated that while 75 million scans resulted in numerous arrests, vague contract terms with vendor Flock Safety raised alarms. Their 'non-exclusive' rights to anonymized data could lead to misuse. City Council voiced concerns over privacy protections, especially related to free speech and immigration, as legal staff noted ambiguities that could threaten compliance with established resolutions.
According to city auditors, APD logged 75 million license plate scans in a year, leading to 165 arrests and 134 prosecutions, despite justice process delays.
The audit highlighted contractual concerns with vendor Flock Safety, which retains rights for potential data-sharing, raising privacy risk issues and compliance with city regulations.
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