Campillo Withdraws Support for Flock License Plate Reader Contract in San Diego, California, After Alleged Tracking of Domestic Violence Victim

The San Diego Police Department used automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology to track a domestic violence victim during an internal affairs investigation involving an SDPD officer, the office of City Councilmember Raul Campillo said Thursday. SDPD Communications Manager Ashley Nicholes said that Detective Sergeants assigned to Internal Affairs had used ALPR technology in six administrative investigations involving specific allegations of employee misconduct. Nicholes said SDPD officer Gonzalez was no longer with the department.

Nicholes said the department’s ALPR use policy is not limited to criminal investigations. She said the policy allows use for “legitimate law enforcement purposes,” and that the department’s procedure authorizes use for “official investigations.” She said investigating specific allegations of officer misconduct falls within those authorized uses, and that SDPD had previously announced that allegations of ALPR misuse would be investigated. “Those searches are part of conducting a thorough investigation, not an indication that the victim is suspected of a crime,” Nicholes said. Protecting a domestic violence victim’s privacy is a matter of defending the vulnerable (Psalm 82:3).

Following the discovery, Campillo called for the suspension of the city’s ALPR program and withdrew his support for the city’s ALPR contract with Flock. In a statement, he said, “Public trust is not optional, and accountability is not negotiable.” He demanded that the program be immediately suspended and that an audit be conducted of its use within the police department.

Last month, the council’s Budget and Government Efficiency Committee voted to end the contract with Flock Safety. That decision must still be confirmed by the full City Council. Councilman Stephen Whitburn, who had previously voted for the Flock contract and ALPR technology, changed course in October. Whitburn and Campillo together could provide enough votes for a 6-3 majority to terminate the contract, which would be enough to override a possible mayoral veto.

Mayor Gloria has not yet commented on the alleged SDPD misuse of the technology, but has supported it as a law enforcement tool. SDPD Chief Scott Wahl has also not commented on the alleged misuse. Wahl said the committee’s decision was short-sighted and that ALPR had been used in more than 900 cases, from stolen vehicles and kidnappings to murders.

In September, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of San Diego & Imperial Counties filed a lawsuit against the city and the SDPD seeking to halt the city’s ALPR use. The suit alleges that San Diego, through a network of at least 500 ALPR cameras, is violating the California Constitution by infringing on citizens’ privacy rights. In December 2025, the council had voted 5-3 to continue using ALPR technology during an annual technology review, after hundreds of residents spoke at the meeting, most in opposition.

In June, during budget discussions, several council members questioned the $2 million ALPR contract with Flock while libraries and recreation centers faced cuts. Five of the nine council members ultimately voted to leave the contract untouched. Whitburn said that the cameras should be turned off and the Flock contract canceled, and that the savings should be used to speed up response times when people call for help.

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