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8h ago

California Sues El Cajon Over License Plate Data Sharing With Out-of-State Agencies

The state seeks a court order to enforce privacy limits on license plate data that it says El Cajon ignored.

Automated license plate readers are expected to be installed soon on roads in Ramona and in other unincorporated communities. (Courtesy Flock Safety)
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Overview

  • Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a petition for a writ of mandate in San Diego County Superior Court seeking to halt the El Cajon Police Department’s data sharing.
  • The filing cites SB 34 and a 2023 guidance bulletin that the state says bar California agencies from sending ALPR data to out-of-state or federal authorities beyond California’s oversight.
  • Court documents allege El Cajon shared plate data with agencies in 26 states, including Texas, Florida, Georgia, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
  • El Cajon officials, including Mayor Bill Wells and Police Chief Jeremiah Lawson, dispute the state’s reading of the law and say the data exchanges support cross-jurisdictional investigations.
  • Privacy advocates warn the practice can enable immigration enforcement or tracking of people seeking reproductive care, and El Cajon’s system has been operated by Flock Safety since 2023.