Alexandria Police: City Kills All 61 License Plate Readers Friday

Alexandria, Virginia, will power off its entire network of automated license plate readers by Friday, Oct. 30.

Police Chief Tarrick McGuire announced the decision at a Wednesday meeting with city leaders. He stated that Flock Safety, the provider of the technology, has been formally notified of the discontinuation. Once the system is deactivated, no new plate data will be captured.

The city owns all 61 cameras, though the poles that hold them are leased. Officials intend to physically remove every unit by the end of December. Before the hardware is taken down, the department will perform an internal self-audit on Nov. 2 to verify that the cameras are no longer reading plates.

Data collection does not end entirely with the switch-off. The police department will retain license plate data tied to active investigations to preserve evidentiary value. All user access to the existing database must be completely disabled by Dec. 1.

The decision follows months of public backlash and wider privacy concerns regarding the technology. Despite the shutdown, the department noted that the cameras previously contributed to 72 felony and 65 misdemeanor charges over the past year. McGuire emphasized that the department must close out these ongoing cases to protect their integrity while validating that the systems are fully powered down.

City Manager James Parajon outlined new rules for future surveillance tools. Any similar technology will now require explicit approval from the city council. Parajon stated that the department will present formal guidance and oversight frameworks at a legislative meeting on Nov. 10.

Parajon listed oversight, audits, transparency, and community engagement as the core principles for future deployments. He added that the city must maintain ownership of the data. No new technology will be deployed without a specific council resolution and a defined process.