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West Branch council adopts ordinance limiting automated license plate reader use and retention
Summary
On July 7, 2026, the West Branch City Council adopted Ordinance 840, which sets a 30-day retention limit for automated license plate reader (ALPR) data unless retained for an active criminal investigation, prohibits selling ALPR data to non-law-enforcement entities (except as allowed by state law), bars facial recognition use, and forbids directing ALPR cameras at places of worship.
The West Branch City Council on July 7 adopted Ordinance 840 to establish limits and public-transparency rules for the city’s use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs). The ordinance passed unanimously on its third reading after the council considered the text and stated purpose.
The ordinance frames ALPRs as high-speed camera systems that convert plate images into text and time-stamp them for law-enforcement use. It requires compliance with the Iowa State Code and bars retention of captured plate data beyond 30 days unless the data are part of an ongoing criminal investigation or prosecution; in that case, the data become part of the criminal case file and follow departmental evidence-retention policies.
Ordinance 840 prohibits selling or otherwise providing ALPR-generated data to non-law-enforcement entities except where state law allows; it limits sharing to federal, state, county or municipal law-enforcement agencies or to contractors under those agencies for purposes tied to public safety, criminal investigation, or legal compliance. The ordinance also states the city will not use ALPR data for facial recognition, though it permits use of images of vehicle occupants ‘‘as part of the investigation or prosecution of a crime.’’
The measure further forbids placing ALPR cameras or directing them directly at places of religious worship. The ordinance takes effect immediately upon passage and publication as required by law.
Tom Dean moved to approve the third reading and adoption of Ordinance 840; Colton Miller seconded the motion. The vote in favor was unanimous: Dean, Miller, Chantry Noel, Mike Horihan and Jerry Sexton voted yes and there were no votes in opposition.
Why it matters: The ordinance creates firm local rules on how long ALPR data may be kept, who can receive it, and the technology’s permitted uses, addressing privacy concerns while preserving law-enforcement access for active investigations. The inclusion of an explicit facial-recognition prohibition and a restriction on targeting places of worship are notable limits that clarify permitted operational boundaries for the West Branch Police Department.
Next steps: The ordinance is effective upon publication; any future changes must follow the council’s ordinance process.
