Automated License Plate Readers (South San Francisco Police Department)

OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK

Dear Dave:
Thank you for your interest in public records of the City of South San Francisco.  Your request has been received and is being processed. Your request was received in this office on 11/6/2022 and given the reference number R006989-110622 for tracking purposes.



Record Requested: Dear Custodian of Records:

This letter constitutes a request under the California Public Records Act ("CPRA") from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, submitted with the assistance of MuckRock News.

We request the following records related to Automated License Plate Readers ("ALPRs") and your law enforcement agency ("Agency").

Part A - Information related to ALPR data sharing.

A1. The names of agencies and organizations with which the Agency shares ALPR data;
A2. The names of agencies and organizations from which the Agency receives ALPR data;
A3. The names of agencies and organizations with which the Agency shares “hot list” information;
A4. The names of agencies and organizations from which the Agency receives “hot list” information.
The information requested in items A1-A4 is readily available for extraction through the ALPR software you use. For example, with Vigilant Solutions/Motorola Solutions, this data can be exported easily using the Data Sharing Report function. With Flock Safety, this information is available through the transparency portal function. Other software, such as BOSS, has similar functionality.

Most agencies have encountered little difficulty in providing this information (see below). In a small number of cases, an agency has interpreted items A1-A4 as requesting the creation of a record that does not exist. We disagree: this data is maintained by your software, can be exported through software your agency has already purchased, and is therefore subject to CPRA.

However, should you disagree, you may alternatively produce the following records:

A5. All agreements, memoranda of understanding, requests, or other certifying documents that external agencies have signed to comply with Sec 1798.90.52(b) for accessing your agency's ALPR data. These documents are also often required under the "Releasing ALPR Data" subsection of a California law enforcement agency's SB 34 policy.
A6. All agreements, memoranda of understanding, requests, or other certifying documents that your agency has signed pursuant to Sec 1798.90.52(b) to access other agencies' ALPR data.
A7. All "records of access" required by Sec. 1798.90.52(a) for the periods January 1, 2021 until the date of processing this request.

Items A5-A7 are not necessary if your agency provides the information requested in items A1-A4. We feel that items A1-A4 are more focused and would require less labor from your agency to produce.

Part B - Information Related to Numbers of “Detections” (plate scans) and “Hits” (plate scans that matched to a hotlist)

B1. The aggregate number of "detections" collected during 2021.
B2. The aggregate number of “hits” during 2021.
B3. The aggregate number of "detections" from January 1, 2022 until the date this request is processed. If your agency has a retention period shorter than 1 year, please provide whatever data is available based on your retention period. For example, most Flock Safety systems may not have this data beyond 30 days.
B4. The aggregate number of “hits” from January 1, 2022 until the date this request is processed. If your agency has a retention period shorter than 1 year, please provide whatever data is available based on your retention period.

The information requested in items B1-B4 is readily available through the ALPR software you use. For example, with Vigilant Solutions/Motorola Solutions, this data can be exported easily using the Hit Ratio Report function. With Flock Safety, this information is available through the transparency portal function. Other software, such as BOSS, has similar functionality. As noted above, this information exists within your system and can be easily exported with existing software.

Part C - Assistance, Description, and Recommendations.

We make the following requests under section 6253.1 of the California Public Records Act

C1. A description of the information technology and physical location in which the records exist.
C2. Assist us identifying records and information that will help the public understand how ALPR data and hotlists are shared, how much data is collected year-to-year, and how much of that data matches a hot list; and
C3. Provide suggestions for overcoming any practical basis for denying access to the information sought.

Please note that more than 80 California law enforcement agencies have provided the information requested in Parts A1-A4 and B1-B4 in previous years. For your reference we have included a list below with the names of the agencies that have historically provided these records.

American Canyon Police Department
Auburn Police Department
Bakersfield Police Department
Beaumont Police Department
Bell Gardens Police Department
Bell Police Department
Belvedere Police Department
Beverly Hills Police Department
Brawley Police Department
Brentwood Police Department
Buena Park Police Department
Burbank Police Department
Carlsbad Police Department
Cathedral City Police Department
Chino Police Department
Chula Vista Police Department
Citrus Heights Police Department
Claremont Police Department
Clayton Police Department
Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office
Coronado Police Department
CSU Fullerton Police Department
Cypress Police Department
El Segundo Police Department
Fairfield Police Department
Folsom Police Department
Fontana Police Department
Fresno Police Department
Fullerton Police Department
Galt Police Department
Garden Grove Police Department
Gardena Police Department
Glendale Police Department
Hemet Police Department
Hermosa Beach Police Department
Imperial Police Department
Irvine Police Department
La Habra Police Department
La Mesa Police Department
La Verne Police Department
Laguna Beach Police Department
Livermore Police Department
Lodi Police Department
Long Beach Police Department
Marin County Sheriff's Office
Martinez Police Department
Merced Police Department
Mill Valley Police Department
Modesto Police Department
Monterey Park Police Department
Newport Beach Police Department
Oakley Police Department
Orange County Sheriff's Office
Orange Police Department
Palm Springs Police Department
Palos Verdes Estates Police
Pasadena Police Department
Pleasant Hill Police Department
Pomona Police Department
Redlands Police Department
Redondo Beach Police Department
Ripon Police Department
Roseville Police Department
Salinas Police Department
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office
San Diego County Sheriff's Office
San Diego Police Department
San Mateo County Sheriff's Office
Sausalito Police Department
Simi Valley Police Department
Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office
Stockton Police Department
Tiburon Police Department
Torrance Police Department
Tracy Police Department
Tustin Police Department
West Sacramento Police Department
Westminster Police Department
Woodland Police Department
Yolo County Sheriff's Office
(This URL links to a dataset with links to the records: https://www.eff.org/document/data-driven-2-california-dragnet-data-set )

CPRA requires you to undertake reasonable efforts to locate responsive records and to work in good faith with requesters to respond to their request. See CYAC v. City of National City, 220 Cal.App.4th 1385, 1430 (2013). Thus under the CPRA you are obligated to conduct a reasonable search and cannot deny a request merely because it might generate a large volume of records.

We ask that you please respond to this request within 10 days either by providing all the requested records or by providing a written response setting forth the legal authority on which you rely in withholding or redacting any document, as well as stating when documents will be made available. Should you choose to withhold or reject this request, we ask that you provide an explanation of why your agency is responding differently compared to the many others that have complied with our request.

We also request that any records maintained in an electronic format be provided in that same format (such as a PDF, CSV or XLS file), to avoid copying costs.

However, should you be unable to do so, EFF will reimburse you for the direct costs of copying these records (if you elect to charge for copying) plus postage. If you anticipate that these costs will exceed $25.00, or that the time needed to copy the records will delay their release, please contact me so that I can arrange to inspect the documents or decide which documents I wish to have copied. Please also provide an invoice and a cost breakdown of the fee estimate. If the fees are less than $25.00, please copy and send the records and invoice as soon as possible, and we will promptly pay the required costs.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. If you have any questions or concerns, or if I can provide any clarification that will help identify responsive documents or focus this request, please do not hesitate to contact me at (415) 436-9333 x151 or dm@eff.org. You may also mail correspondence to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, 815 Eddy. St. San Francisco, CA, 94109.

Sincerely,

Dave Maass
Director of Investigations
Electronic Frontier Foundation

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again, thank you for using the Public Records Center.
Office of the City Clerk
City of South San Francisco City Hall:  400 Grand Avenue • South San Francisco, CA 94080 • P.O. Box 711 •  South San Francisco, CA 94083 Phone: 650-877-8518 • Fax: 650-829-6641 • www.ssf.net

--- Please respond above this line ---

OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK

11/17/2022

Dave Maass
MuckRock News
DEPT MR136336
263 Huntington Ave
Boston MA 02115
RE: Public Records Request - Reference # R006989-110622
Dear Dave,
I represent the City of South San Francisco ("City"). This letter responds to your November 6, 2022 request submitted with the City for certain documents pursuant to the California Public Records Act ("CPRA"), Government Code sections 7029.005 et seq. The CPRA's fundamental precept is that governmental records shall be disclosed to the public, upon request, unless there is a legal basis not to do so. The right of access to public records under the CPRA is not unlimited; it does not extend to records that are exempt from disclosure.

The City is currently in the process of installing Automatic License Plate Readers ("ALPR") system, as well as creating policy and training for the department to use ALPR. As such, the City does not possess any records responsive to your request at this time.

I am responsible for the determination concerning your records request in my capacity as an Associate Attorney for the City, in consultation with appropriate City staff. If you have any questions about this matter, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you,
Kimia Mahallati
Assistant City Attorney, South San Francisco
kimia.mahallati@ssf.net City Hall:  400 Grand Avenue • South San Francisco, CA 94080 • P.O. Box 711 •  South San Francisco, CA 94083 Phone: 650-877-8518 • Fax: 650-829-6641 • www.ssf.net To monitor the progress or update this request please log into the Public Records Center.

This email is not monitored 24 hours a day. If you need an immediate response please call 650-877-8900 or 911 if you have an emergency.

Este correo electrónico no es monitoreado las 24 horas del día. Si necesita ayuda inmediata por favor llame al 650-877-8900 o al 911 si tiene una emergencia.

--- Please respond above this line ---

OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK

11/30/2022
RE: Public Records Request- Reference # R006989-110622

Dear Dave,

The City of South San Francisco has reviewed its files and has located responsive records to your request.
If you have any questions, or wish to discuss this further, please contact the City Clerk's Office at (650) 877-8518. The South San Francisco Police Department went live with Flock Safety on November 18, 2022. Flock Safety was running beforehand this date, but it was for implantation, system testing, and training of the police officers.
Part A:
A1. As of November 21, 2022, South San Francisco PD shares with Atherton PD, Colma PD, San Mateo PD & San Mateo County SO.
A2. As of November 21, 2022, South San Francisco PD receives ALPR data from Akron OH PD, Atherton PD, Colma PD, Hayward PD, Livermore PD, Millbrae PD, Newark PD, Oakley PD, Ontario PD, Orange County FL SO, San Jose PD, San Mateo PD, San Mateo County SO, Santa Clara PD, Suisun City PD & Vallejo PD.
A3. No agencies.
A4: Colma PD
A5-A7. Answered in items A1 to A4
Part B:
B1: No data was collected as Flock Safety was not live until November 18, 2022.
B2: No date was collected as Flock Safety was not live until November 18, 2022.
B3. 681, 054 detections over last 30 days, which includes time of implantation, training and going live on November 18, 2022.
B4. 3,735 hits, which includes time of implantation, training and going live on November 18, 2022.
Part C:
C1. Through Flock Safety
C2. Information for the public is through the Flock Portal on the South San Francisco Police Department’s website.
C3. All Flock Safety information is located on the Flock Portal on the South San Francisco Police Department’s Website.
Sincerely,
Maricela Lomeli
Administrative Assistant II City Hall:  400 Grand Avenue • South San Francisco, CA 94080 • P.O. Box 711 •  South San Francisco, CA 94083 Phone: 650-877-8518 • Fax: 650-829-6641 • www.ssf.net To monitor the progress or update this request please log into the Public Records Center. (https://u8387795.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=nZGH0ylxadMp5hTpNkeAFiqOCMxfAgnLQT0N8M9T1wYHBeFjdmg-2FiitLeFy7RDfNGDPybSmuIg9HOxMXtYcUj5fSBko-2Bn6BqLeFfCcKm2z8HRTQ3hX1-2Bbn9mxqJz9Ap85SUW_Q8Ozs2KDBsrsf9eufcNRVHCUOabUMlIaQVJawF3iHajXlamAmlya-2FAgq5wRtyBT6BbXF4xLTMoLaBkxJZv-2FvvATwpIRwwtTp1IGMwbblPUn7YclkyKmhvHMY8Hurv7BIiBLkekWwsthushz24tsxO0vWrJf8VtCQtY-2Fd30COd-2FSpDqVcUJC5OEoGpJGGKfZAu8Vng4rovmH5Bc65wtoQg5DevzrO-2FrYlBALEPecU-2FZ1wcxg1sWJ4h7v6KqLTyToE2L5R8wkzTWG43VHaW9xwthKWrs8Nd9uIcbdIQ0KRfdN-2Bm6cZfj1-2BBxErtYV45cq2OanCcDAGaYk9FwL1kdjrvevzUwe-2FjgNsKEOEJKwERMscxwCeFOYJhohJuLHzlP30FYspXFvSh-2BRAOkjM8S9-2Fcw-3D-3D)