Milpitas Residents Raise Concerns Over Police Automated License Plate Readers

Local residents and community advocates in Milpitas are speaking out against the expanded use of Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras by the Milpitas Police Department. A demonstration was organized in front of Milpitas City Hall along East Calaveras Boulevard to draw attention to personal privacy issues.

Advocates argue that continuous camera surveillance and automatic tracking of vehicles across city intersections infringe on privacy rights. Opponents have pointed to concerns over how data is retained, searched, and potentially accessed by outside governmental agencies.

While law enforcement agencies across the region utilize plate scanners to assist in investigations and locate stolen vehicles, scrutiny around data privacy safeguards has grown in several neighboring Santa Clara County municipalities.