SeaView Logo

ALPR Use Policy

Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) Usage and Privacy Policy:

The Seaview Residents Association (SRA) leases an automated license plate recognition (ALPR) security camera system from Flock Safety.  SRA is committed to protecting the privacy, civil liberties, and security of our residents, guests, and the public.  We have 4 cameras two each of which are posted at the corners of Conqueror and Palos Verdes Drive South and Schooner and Palos Verdes Drive South.  They are not located on private property.  Each location has signs advising the public of the presence of the cameras with 24-hour surveillance.  The cameras are limited to the collection of license plate information and vehicle characteristics of vehicle utilizing the main access roads.  It does not target private driveways, residential windows, or non-vehicular pedestrian spaces. 

  1. The sole authorized purposes of the camera are:
  • To enhance the safety and security of the Seaview residential area by deterring unauthorized entry for the purposes of vandalism, theft, or other criminal activities;
  • To assist local law enforcement, specifically the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department (LASD) and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and on occasion other authorized law enforcement agencies in active investigations of crimes committed within or nearby the Seaview community or in locating stolen, missing, or wanted vehicles. 

The ALPR system is strictly prohibited from being used for personal tracking, commercial marketing, resident behavioral monitoring, or any other unauthorized administrative or punitive resident association purposes.  In the event of criminal activity in the neighborhood, residents are advised to first call the LASD.  Residents are advised that they will not be allowed access to information captured by the camera.  Access to information is only granted to the LASD or other local law enforcement agencies who formally request access for the purposes of investigation of illegal activities as noted above.  Those agencies shall be deemed to have their own internal policies governing the use of information from the ALPR camera system. 

  1. Authorized Users. Oversight:

The SRA board appoints a community safety committee.  Those individuals and members of the board as directed by the board have access to the cameras.  The sole purpose of this access is to test and confirm that the cameras are functional monthly.  The credentials and sign in are known only to the committee chair who will share access with authorized users for this sole purpose.  The SRA has also granted access to the LASD and the LAPD who are charged with crime prevention and management for our community and surrounding areas.  The SRA board and community safety committee of the SRA does not have access to or request information from the LASD or LAPD beyond updates of ongoing investigations of reported crime investigations that would be otherwise publicly available.  There is monthly reporting to the SRA board on the functionality of the cameras and of any unauthorized access.  If there is a malfunction, it is reported to Flock Cameras along with the SRA board.

  1. Privacy Protections:
  • All data captured by the cameras is encrypted in transit and at rest using industry standard AES-256 protocols managed by Flock Safety.
  • The physical cameras are mounted on-site to deter tampering or theft.  Camera functionality is monitored and managed solely by Flock Safety.
  • Access breach protocol:  In the event of suspected unauthorized access to the administrator credentials, the password will be immediately changed and Flock Safety notified to review access logs for potential data exposure.
  • Camera access is limited to authorized users with unique login credentials;
  • Information is not accessed by anyone other than the LASD and LAPD
  • Information shall not be used to track or monitor the routine travel patterns of residents or guests;
  • Information shall not be disclosed except as required by law;
  • Flock Safety automatically and permanently deletes Information on a rolling 30-day basis unless selective retention is required in support of an active, ongoing investigation;
  • The SRA does not download Information on local computers for any purpose beyond showing that the cameras are functioning.  
  • All ALPR data is deleted and automatically overridden after thirty days on a rolling basis as a part of Flock Safety’s default retention policy unless data is actively preserved for an ongoing law enforcement investigation. Data is digitally destroyed and unrecoverable via Flock Safety’s cloud deletion processes. 
  1. Data sharing and disclosure:
  • There is no local storage of any Flock Safety camera data or information.
  • The LASD and LAPD have automatic, direct, and designated virtual access to photos and data captured by the camera.  Personnel from those entities can independently access the Flock Safety database to gather evidence and investigative leads for reported criminal activities.  The SRA does not manually pull, edit, or filter images for law enforcement unless required by subpoena, court order, or other formal and legitimate legal processes. 
  • The SRA DOES NOT, sell, lease, or commercially distribute any information from the cameras to any private entities, commercial businesses, or individuals.
  1. Data Accuracy
  • The SRA recognizes that ALPR technology is accurate but not infallible.  The SRA has no way of proving or disproving the accuracy or completeness of such information.  Accordingly, the SRA will make a conclusive determination of events based upon any information from the Flock Safety cameras. The law enforcement agency that uses the Information is responsible for assessing the accuracy of the Information.