City Council Agenda
Memo to:
Manteca City Council
From:
Stephen Schluer, Chief of Police
Prepared by: Ian Osborn, Operations Lieutenant
Date: September 1, 2026 Subject: Flock Safety Automated License Plate Reader Program
Recommendation:
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Receive and file a presentation regarding the Manteca Police Department’s use of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology, including the Department’s history of ALPR use, current policy and accountability measures, system capabilities and limitations, common misconceptions regarding the technology, and a case study demonstrating its use as an investigative tool.
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Background:
On 08/18/2026 at the Manteca City Council meeting, Mayor Gary Singh with the consensus of Council requested a presentation of the Flock system.
Automated License Plate Reader technology is not new to the Manteca Police Department. The Department has utilized various forms of ALPR technology for more than 20 years. The Department first began using ALPR cameras mounted to police vehicles in approximately 2005. In 2019, the Department transitioned to the Vigilant ALPR system, which expanded our ability to use license plate information as an investigative resource. In July 2024, the Department began utilizing Flock Safety ALPR cameras.
While the technology and manner in which the cameras are deployed have evolved over the years, the fundamental purpose has remained the same: providing law enforcement with vehicle information that may assist in the investigation of criminal activity and the identification or location of vehicles associated with a legitimate law enforcement purpose.
Flock Safety ALPR Technology
Flock Safety cameras capture information associated with vehicles traveling within the camera's field of view. This includes the vehicle's license plate and certain vehicle characteristics, such as make and model. The system allows authorized law enforcement personnel to search captured vehicle inf...
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