Greeley police halt out-of-state, national plate-data sharing, cut retention to 21 days

As of Sept. 9, Greeley police had stopped all sharing of license plate data with out-of-state and national sources. The department now keeps the data for 21 days, down from 30.

The department’s transparency webpage notes the change in retention. It will review its use of automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology every month, with audits checking search reasons and case numbers. Before searching a plate in the Flock system, employees must enter a case or call number and select a reason; they must record the reason when searching, even if a case number is assigned later. The department reduced the number of search reasons from 43 to six, saying the change is intended to make records more accurate and clear.

The Greeley Police Department announced the changes Oct. 22, saying it made them to better protect privacy and ensure accountability. At a City Council work session Sept. 8, the department presented information about its ALPR program and drone operations. After the meeting, department leaders focused on improving public trust, auditing processes, transparency and data retention. Greeley Police Chief Turk said, “These changes put clear limits on how license plate data is shared and stored, and they give us a regular way to check that every search is done for the right reason.”

The State of Colorado notified the city Sept. 4 that it would discontinue funding for Elsag Automatic License Plate Recognition cameras after 2026, the Greeley Police Department said. The department attributed the state’s decision to reduced funding from the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority. The department plans to withdraw its two pickup-truck-mounted ALPR systems and two speed trailers. It will terminate its contract with the Colorado State Patrol and work with the patrol to return or dispose of the equipment; a timeline for the transition has not been determined.