But La Mesa decided only to “suspend” the illegal practice effective Feb. 1, and Escondido officials said last week they will hit “pause” to review department procedures. Both agencies said they will let residents know if they decide to resume sharing data out of state.investigation revealed that half of the county’s 10 local law enforcement agencies had been illegally sharing license plate data with other agencies across the United States.
But when pieced together, the data can give the government an unrestricted view into the daily routines of drivers in San Diego County — from where they go to who they spend their time with.strengthened privacy protections for drivers and established strict rules for how police can use the technology, which includes keeping this private information inside the state of California.Vigilant Solutions
State law says this data can only be shared with public agencies, which are defined in the law as agencies in the state of California. Both agencies have since changed course, but neither is ready to categorically end the illegal practice. Escondido police Chief Ed Varso said last week in an email that while he and the city attorney continue to disagree withreporting, he cares about maintaining trust in the community and has decided to pause sharing data out of state to review the department’s procedures.
Varso also said the department will continue regular audits of its license plate reader program to ensure it aligns with policy and state law.