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MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Brooklyn Park Weighs Shorter License Plate Reader Data Retention Period
Brooklyn Park police are considering reducing the time automated license plate reader data is stored from 30 days to 10 days as questions continue about privacy and oversight.
BROOKLYN PARK, MN (October 13, 2026). Brooklyn Park is examining changes to the way its police department handles information collected by automated license plate readers, including a potential reduction in the period that vehicle information is retained.
The proposal would shorten the retention period from 30 days to 10 days, according to reporting earlier this month. The department has also been considering a transition from technology provided by Flock Safety to an Axon-based system.
The developments come amid broader public debate over how law enforcement agencies collect, retain, share and use information gathered from cameras that record vehicle license plates.
How License Plate Readers Work
Automated license plate readers capture vehicle plate information and typically associate it with the time and location of a detection.
Police agencies use the technology to help identify vehicles associated with investigations, including those reported stolen or linked to particular incidents.
But the systems also collect information about vehicles whose drivers are not suspected of wrongdoing. That feature has made data retention, access restrictions and information-sharing policies central questions for residents and privacy advocates.
Why the Retention Period Matters
Reducing the retention period from 30 days to 10 days would shorten the time routine records remain available, assuming the change applies to the records in question and is implemented as proposed.
A shorter retention period can reduce the amount of historical travel information held by a department. It can also affect how far back investigators can search when reviewing incidents reported after they occur.
The practical consequences depend on details that go beyond the number of days, including whether records associated with an active investigation may be retained longer, which agencies can access the information and whether data can be shared outside the department.
Questions About Oversight
Residents evaluating any revised policy may want to know who is authorized to search the database, whether searches are logged, what auditing procedures exist and how the department handles requests from other agencies.
A transition between technology providers also raises questions about what happens to information collected under the previous system and whether new contractual terms would change access or retention practices.
As of this article's October 13 publication date, the proposed 10-day period should not be treated as a confirmed, fully implemented policy without additional official documentation.
What Residents Can Follow
Brooklyn Park residents can review City Council materials, police department updates and any publicly released policy documents to determine whether a formal change is adopted.
City website: https://www.brooklynpark.org
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