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Audit: Minneapolis ALPR program complies with law; auditors recommend stronger vendor oversight and SOPs
Summary
The city auditor found Minneapolis Police Department’s automated license plate reader program compliant with Minnesota law for 2023–2024 but recommended two steps: routine review of vendor assessment reports and formal approval/development of ALPR SOPs covering access, retention, deletion, and periodic access reviews.
Auditors from the Office of City Auditor presented a biennial audit of the Minneapolis Police Department’s automated license plate reader (ALPR) program and reported that MPD complied with Minnesota statute but should strengthen vendor oversight and formalize procedures.
The review, covering Jan. 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2024, assessed whether ALPR data are collected, classified, used and deleted according to Minn. Stat. §13.824, subd. 6. Siddhartha Porel, director of internal audit, said the office obtained access to the department’s ALPR system and reviewed policies and procedures. "The conclusion is that we determined that MPD complied with the state regulation related to ALPR use," Porel said.
Auditors made two primary recommendations. First, MPD should establish a documented, periodic process to request and review independent third‑party assessment reports and to oversee vendor performance for the ALPR system; the audit found those assessment reports have not been requested or reviewed as part of routine vendor oversight. Second, the department should further develop and formally approve ALPR SOPs specifically addressing system access, data retention and deletion, and periodic access reviews.
During committee Q&A, Vice Chair Singleton asked whether MPD shares ALPR data with local or federal agencies and whether the department uses a widely discussed provider called Flock. Porel said the department, to his knowledge, does not use Flock and that auditors "didn't see any issues related to how MPD is using the ALPR system." The committee also confirmed that the statutory retention schedule for ALPR data is 60 days unless the data are part of an investigation; Porel said the office validated that MPD deletes ALPR data after 60 days when not retained for investigations.
The committee received and filed the ALPR audit report and directed staff to publish it and transmit it to relevant agencies. The report’s recommendations are advisory and aimed at strengthening oversight practices rather than addressing statutory noncompliance.
