They’re trying again this year with a bill that would add limits on how long police may retain license plate data, how they access it and with whom they share it. Critics of the technology cite high-profile examples of California police using license plate data inappropriately, including to stalk or harass innocent people. That provision is in response to Flock Safety, a prominent license plate reader company that allowed federal authorities to search local license plate data as part of a pilot program, said Tracy Rosenberg of Oakland Privacy, one of the bill’s supporters. In a report to the Berkeley City Council, the department noted license plate readers had been used in 121 cases, contributed to 58 arrests and led to the recovery of 37 stolen vehicles. The department noted its rate for solving robbery cases climbed from 34% in 2024 to 49% the following year, thanks in part to the license plate data.