The Ventura Police Department has updated several internal procedures for its Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) program after identifying a vendor‑side configuration issue on February 23, 2026. The department uses ALPR technology to support investigations involving violent offenders, stolen vehicles, missing persons, and other time‑sensitive public safety matters.
According to the department, the issue originated from a configuration setting managed by its ALPR vendor, Flock Safety. While Ventura’s system was set to allow access only to California law enforcement partners, a vendor‑enabled nationwide query feature allowed out‑of‑state agencies to run searches between March and mid‑September 2025. The department reported that its own settings were correctly limited to California agencies and that the expanded access was not authorized locally.
The department’s audit identified two out‑of‑state agencies that queried Ventura’s ALPR data during that period. The same review found that no federal agencies accessed or queried Ventura’s ALPR system. Because of how the vendor configuration operated at the time, the department stated it could not determine whether any vehicle data was actually returned to the out‑of‑state agencies.
Ventura currently utilizes 23 Flock Safety ALPR cameras strategically placed throughout the city. The system is designed to capture images of license plates and vehicle characteristics, not drivers or passengers. Data is stored in an encrypted cloud environment for 30 days before automatic deletion. While the images are deleted, any inquiry made into the system becomes a permanent record, creating a detailed audit trail of how the system is used.
After identifying the configuration issue, Ventura Police implemented several procedural changes. Staff now conduct daily audits of ALPR access settings to ensure that only approved California agencies can view or query the system. In early February 2026, the department initiated a comprehensive 90‑day audit of its Flock Safety ALPR system, confirming that its internal settings were restricted to California‑only access with no federal or out‑of‑state permissions.
As Ventura County agencies reported broader data security concerns, the department also completed an access audit covering the previous year. That review revealed that, despite Ventura’s California‑only settings, the vendor‑enabled nationwide query function had allowed out‑of‑state agencies to query local data without the department’s knowledge or authorization.
The department stated that the updated procedures are intended to provide independent verification of vendor settings and strengthen oversight of the ALPR program. The new controls, including daily audits and expanded review of access logs, are already in effect.