The below is a statement from Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez on CSPD's use of automatic license plater reader technology:

Over the past several months, I have listened closely to community concerns, legislative discussions, and conversations among law enforcement agencies about the use of automated license plate reader, or ALPR, technology across the United States. Technology in law enforcement continues to evolve rapidly, and I want to speak directly to our community about how the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) uses technology and the safeguards we put around these systems.

Law enforcement agencies should evaluate all tools available to them and make appropriate decisions about their use based on the needs of the communities they serve. At CSPD, automated license plate reader technology remains one of many important components in our mission to protect victims, investigate crime, find missing people, hold offenders accountable, and ultimately improve safety across our city.

License plate reader technology has been available in the United States for over 20 years, and CSPD has used some form of license plate reader technology since 2009. Our Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) manages our ALPR program today. Since 2025, this technology has directly assisted CSPD investigations of homicides, serious assaults and sexual assaults, robberies, kidnappings, fatal hit-and-run traffic crashes, motor vehicle thefts, missing persons, and serious domestic violence crimes. Earlier this year, ALPR data was used by our officers as they searched for and ultimately found a kidnapped two-year-old child in Colorado Springs. These are only a few examples of the great success our agency has had using ALPR and other investigative techniques to keep Colorado Springs safe.

Technology does not solve crimes by itself, and it does not replace good police work. An ALPR alert is an investigative lead - not proof a crime was committed and never a substitute for an officer's or detective's judgment and training. Our personnel are always required to verify the information and develop the facts before taking enforcement action.

Importantly, I strongly believe powerful technology must come with robust safeguards.

At CSPD, access to ALPR and other law enforcement technology systems is limited to trained and authorized personnel. Searches of stored ALPR information must be connected to a legitimate law enforcement or public safety purpose, and personnel must document the case number and reason for the search. The system's use is also auditable, which allows CSPD to verify the system is being used in an appropriate, lawful and ethical manner. Our policies and procedures strictly govern the use of these systems, and we continually review and update them as laws change, technology advances, and community concerns evolve.

All our employees are held accountable under the law and department policies if they misuse an investigative tool.

CSPD also believes in reasonable retention timelines for the data our ALPR systems generate. We use Axon ALPR technology, and our license plate data is deleted after 30 days unless it has been preserved as evidence or for another lawful reason. Sharing of our ALPR data is restricted by various laws and department policy.

These protections matter because public safety and individual privacy are not competing responsibilities. We are responsible for both.

We have shown that technology can help policing become more precise, but that its use must be governed by clear rules, strong oversight, and the appropriate safeguards I mentioned. When our officers obtain reliable information before making contact, narrow an investigation to the correct vehicle, locate a missing or endangered person more quickly, or determine that someone is not involved in a crime, that information can reduce uncertainty and help officers make more informed decisions.

Technological advancement is a reality of our world, but we also hear the concerns our community has about our use of this technology.

Our mission is to protect people, solve crimes, seek justice for victims, and hold offenders accountable. Technology can help us fulfill that mission, but how we use that technology matters. We will continue using appropriate law enforcement tools responsibly, lawfully, and transparently while protecting both public safety and the individual rights of the people we serve.

We encourage everyone to learn more about our use of technology in public safety on our Public Safety Technology website. We will continue to update our website as legal requirements change, policy changes, or as we implement or stop using a particular technology.