SPRINGFIELD – The Springfield Police Department (SPD) has installed Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras in the city as part of a proactive initiative aimed at combating retail theft. This installation is funded by a grant from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission and is designed to bolster investigations into retail theft and related crimes.
While the cameras have been installed to comply with grant deadlines, SPD officials have confirmed that they are not yet activated. During the installation phase, the cameras were briefly turned on for calibration and validation, which is documented on the department’s Transparency Portal. This calibration process involved adjusting camera angles, testing transmission, and confirming signal and solar power. After this verification, the cameras have been deactivated until further community discussions take place.
According to SPD, a total of 25 cameras have been strategically placed across major roadways and commercial areas in Springfield. A map indicating the locations of these cameras is publicly available.
The ALPR cameras capture images of license plates along with vehicle characteristics such as body type, color, and travel direction. Importantly, they do not collect personally identifiable information, including driver names or addresses. Recorded data is retained for 30 days, unless it is tied to an active investigation, in which case it is automatically purged.
The ownership of the data lies with the SPD, they said, and any requests for access from other agencies must be reviewed and approved by SPD.
However, federal agencies are exempt from this standard unless a court order is issued. Additionally, the data collected from the ALPR cameras cannot be used for immigration enforcement due to specific contract safeguards and technical filters in place.
The total annual cost for maintaining the 25-camera system is projected at $77,000, funded entirely through grant resources until 2027.
To ensure the responsible use of this technology, SPD stated that all access to ALPR data is logged and subject to review by SPD. Officers are required to confirm any access, maintaining strict oversight of the information collected.
The Springfield Police Department will provide further details regarding the activation of the cameras in the near future.
MORE ONLINE
■ Transparency Portal: Flock Safety Transparency: transparency.flocksafety.com/springfield-or-pd
■ Camera Location Map: springfield-or.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/SPD-Flock-Map.pdf
■ ALPR Policy: springfield-or.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/SPD-ALPR-Policy.pdf
