California cops illegally shared license plate details, other info, grand jury says

Sacramento County law enforcement shared license plate information from 1.3 million vehicles improperly with out-of-state agencies, breaching privacy protections, highlighted in a grand jury report.

The Grand Jury revealed that Sacramento agencies use around 170 cameras capturing 1,800 plates/minute, with the Sheriff's Office scanning 1.7 million plates in a week, raising concerns about the extent of surveillance.

ALPRs capture not only license plates but also occupants in vehicles, alarming privacy advocates. The intentional or inadvertent sharing of this data with external entities raises significant legal and ethical issues.

Read at Los Angeles Times