San Francisco ALPR privacy protections (Sept 2026)

Administrative policy announced by the Mayor's Office Sept. 29, 2026 (sf.gov press release); no Board of Supervisors ordinance is cited. Per the release: (1) investigative searches of ALPR data permitted 'only during the first 30 days after the data is captured, down from 12 months' — an ACCESS limit, not a stated retention/deletion period; searches require a CAD or incident number; (2) SFPD ALPR data removed from the vendor platform after 30 days; exclusive local control; no direct federal agency access; (3) monthly system-use log reviews; SFPD will ask the Department of Police Accountability to conduct regular independent audits; violators subject to discipline up to and including termination; (4) prohibited uses: civil immigration enforcement, monitoring based on reproductive or gender-affirming care, First Amendment-protected activity; (5) agency-by-agency sharing authorization maintained; external agencies may not search on behalf of unauthorized entities; (6) Mayor to work with Assemblymember Matt Haney and DA Brooke Jenkins on state legislation increasing penalties for misuse or unauthorized disclosure of ALPR data (not yet introduced per sources). The release does not name the vendor or state an effective date. EFF (Sept. 29) says the policy lacks a warrant requirement, a deletion deadline, and documentation of search reasons. NOT ESTABLISHED: formal instrument (directive/General Order), effective date.