Tempe becomes 1st Arizona city to enact strict ban on Automated License Plate Readers

The Tempe City Council voted Thursday night to approve a strict ban on automated license plate readers, making it the first city in Arizona to enact such a measure.

In a 6-1 vote, the council passed an ordinance prohibiting the city and its law enforcement department from purchasing, using or accessing automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems and data, outside of a few limited circumstances.

The move follows Tempe’s decision in August to cancel its contract with vendor Flock Safety and disable its camera network citywide after city officials determined that the risk of the system being improperly used outweighed its benefits.

While audits did not reveal any misuse in Tempe, other communities around Arizona have reported similar concerns or specific instances of inappropriate camera use.

“These cameras have helped our police officers do their jobs, and we don’t discount that. But the risk of misuse is too great,” Mayor Corey Woods said when the initial contract was terminated. “We have to be able to provide public safety in a way that maintains the trust of our community. For Tempe, that means taking these cameras down.”

Tempe joined a growing list of Valley and Arizona municipalities to cut ties with Flock or announce plans to do so, including Surprise, Chandler, Pinal County, Sierra Vista, South Tucson, Flagstaff and Sedona.

The newly approved ordinance includes specific exceptions allowing Tempe to receive and use ALPR data under narrow guidelines. The city can obtain license plate reader information through a search warrant, subpoena or court order. It can also receive data from courts, criminal defendants, members of the public, private companies or other government agencies tied to a specific investigation, provided city officials did not request or direct the original search.

Additionally, officers participating in regional task forces or multi-agency investigations are permitted to review ALPR data lawfully obtained by another agency, as long as Tempe did not prompt the underlying query.

The measure does not bar city departments from using ALPR technology for non-law-enforcement functions like parking management, provided that residents’ location and personal details are not shared with private parties or added to searchable databases.

Furthermore, the ordinance mandates that existing ALPR data be destroyed unless it is required as evidence in a criminal case or mandated by law to be kept. City employees who violate the ordinance face potential consequences, including possible termination.

 KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Senior Editor Kevin Stone contributed to this report.

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