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Wyoming council adopts automatic license‑plate reader policy with privacy safeguards
Summary
The council approved an ALPR policy that restricts non‑investigative retention to 30 days, requires verification of alerts, limits sharing to law enforcement, and logs all access; officers will be trained before system activation and two of four fixed cameras are already installed.
The Wyoming City Council approved a policy governing the police department’s automatic license‑plate reader (ALPR) system, adopting limits on data retention, access controls and auditing designed to balance investigative utility with privacy and transparency.
Chief Bower presented the policy to council and said it aims to support legitimate investigations—such as locating stolen vehicles and missing persons—while guarding against misuse. Key provisions include a 30‑day deletion requirement for ALPR data not related to an active investigation, audit logging of all accesses, restricted access to trained and authorized officers, and a public log documenting ALPR usage and match results.
The policy forbids using the system for personal reasons, harassment, immigration enforcement or tracking individuals without a warrant. It also requires that any data sharing with other agencies occur by written request approved by the police chief and that discipline follow any misuse discovered during audits.
Council members asked whether cameras were fixed or vehicle‑mounted; staff said four fixed cameras were planned and two were installed with the remaining two on back order for breakaway DOT poles. Staff said activation will follow completion of officer training, which could be completed in roughly a month after sign‑off.
Council approved the policy after a brief discussion and directed staff to begin training and prepare the public usage log and reporting procedures.
