Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs)

The Los Alamos Police Department has partnered with Axon to provide a comprehensive technology upgrade that enhances the services we provide to our community. While the Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system is one component of this modernization effort, it is only one part of a much broader suite of tools designed to improve public safety, efficiency, transparency, and accountability.

Contract with Axon Enterprise(PDF, 4MB)

Axon's body-worn camera technology includes real-time language translation capabilities, allowing officers to communicate with community members in nearly 60 languages with just a few button presses. This helps officers overcome language barriers and improves communication during critical interactions.

The department also utilizes Axon's artificial intelligence technology to assist with transcribing interviews and reports. Tasks that previously required many hours—or even weeks for lengthy investigations—can now be completed in minutes, allowing officers to spend more time serving the community and less time on administrative work.

In addition, Axon's automated redaction software enables our Records Division to quickly and accurately redact sensitive information from videos and reports. This significantly reduces the time required to fulfill public records requests while ensuring that protected information remains secure.

As part of the partnership, the department also has access to Axon's virtual reality training platform. This immersive training technology allows officers to practice responding to a wide variety of real-world scenarios in a safe, controlled environment, helping them build decision-making skills and preparedness before encountering those situations in the field.

Axon is a global leader in public safety technology. By partnering with Axon, the Los Alamos Police Department is investing in innovative tools that improve officer effectiveness and safety, increase transparency and accountability, enhance training, and ultimately provide better service to the residents and visitors of our community.

Effective date: July 1, 2026
Previous version: June 1, 2020
Re-evaluation date: January 1, 2027 (though currently under revision based on public input)
Related CALEA standards: 41.3.9

1. PURPOSE
   1. Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology, also known as License Plate Recognition, provides automated detection of license plates. ALPRs are used by the Los Alamos Police Department to convert data associated with vehicle license plates for official law enforcement purposes including identifying stolen or wanted vehicles, stolen license plates and missing persons. ALPRs may also be used to gather information related to active warrants, criminal investigations, homeland security, electronic surveillance, suspect interdiction, stolen property recovery, or as otherwise approved by the Chief of Police.
2. ADMINISTRATION OF ALPR DATA
   1.  All installation and maintenance of ALPR equipment, as well as ALPR data retention and access shall be managed by the Department’s Staff Services Commander, who will assign personnel under his/her command to administer the day-to-day operation of the ALPR equipment and data.
3. ALPR OPERATION
   1. Use of an ALPR is restricted to the purposes outlined below. Department personnel shall not use, or allow others to use, the equipment or database records for any unauthorized purpose.
      1. No member of this department shall operate ALPR equipment or access ALPR data without first completing department-approved training. (41.3.9.(c))
      2. An ALPR shall only be used for official and legitimate law enforcement business.
      3. An ALPR may be used in conjunction with any patrol operation or official department investigation. Reasonable suspicion or probable cause is not required before using an ALPR.
      4. Any Employee provided access to another department’s LPR system and/or technical data, shall adhere to the Los Alamos Police Department policy governing LPR use.
4. ALPR DATA COLLECTION AND RETENTION
   1. All data and images gathered by an ALPR are for the official use of the Los Alamos Police Department and because such data may contain confidential LEADS information, it is not open to public review. ALPR information gathered and retained by this department may be used and shared with prosecutors or others only as permitted by law.
   2. All ALPR data should be stored for the minimum period established by the department's record retention guidelines and thereafter may be purged unless it has become, or it is reasonable to believe it will become, evidence in a criminal or civil action or is subject to a lawful action to produce records. In such circumstances, the applicable data should be downloaded from the local or cloud server onto portable media and placed into evidence.
5. ACCOUNTABILITY AND SAFEGUARDS
   1. All saved data will be closely safeguarded and protected by both procedural and technological means. The Los Alamos Police Department will observe the following safeguards regarding access to and use of stored data:
      1. All non-law enforcement requests for access to stored ALPR data shall be referred to the Staff Services Commander or designee and processed in accordance with applicable law.
      2. All ALPR data shall be accessible only through a login/password-protected system capable of documenting all access of information by name, date, and time.
      3. Persons approved to access ALPR data under these guidelines are permitted to access the data for legitimate law enforcement purposes only, such as when the data relate to a specific criminal investigation or department-related civil or administrative action.
      4. Such ALPR data may be released to other authorized and verified law enforcement officials and agencies at any time for legitimate law enforcement purposes as prescribed by law.
      5. ALPR system audits shall be conducted regularly, but no less than quarterly, by the Staff Services Commander or designee and shall consist of a random sampling for compliance evaluation.

From May 5, 2026 New Mexico Department of Public Safety (DPS) Office of Legal Affairs memorandum:

Effective July 1 ,2026

Created pursuant to [State Bill] SB 40 and enacts a new standalone Act governing Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs).

Key points:

• Sets forth prohibited uses for data obtained: ALPR data may not be shared if it could be used to assist immigration enforcement, to investigate protected reproductive or gender-affirming health care, or to penalize constitutionally protected activity (assembly, speech, petition).
• Data deemed to be confidential and not a public record: ALPR information is excluded from IPRA. IPRA requests for ALPR data should be declined on this basis. Sharing with non-law-enforcement entities is prohibited, and out-of-state sharing requires a written declaration confirming compliance with applicable laws.
• Requires annual reporting: Each agency operating ALPRs must report to DPS by April 1, covering the prior calendar year (camera counts, query totals, and purposes, agencies given access, unauthorized-access incidents, and out-of-state queries).

Practical point for officers: treat ALPR data as confidential law-enforcement-only data.  Do not respond to IPRA requests for it; route any out-of-state sharing requests through your supervisor and Office of Legal Affairs first.