Policy Text
1 (06/23/2025 ) ST. PETE RSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDER
Subject: LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION (LPR) SYSTEM
Index as:
Confirmed Tag Alert
Flock
Hot Tag
License Plate Recognition Reader (LPRR)
License Plate Recognition System (LPRS) LPR
Reader
Tag Alert
Tag Detection
Accreditation Standards: 41.3.9
Cross Reference : §316.0778, F.S.
Replaces : License Plate Recognition System (LPRS) (March 12, 2019)
This Order provides Department personnel with guidelines and principles for the use of the License Plate Recognition (LPR)
System. It consists of the following sections:
I. Policy
II. Purpose
III. Definitions
IV. System Management and Access Guidelines
V. System Usage
POLICY
A. The LPR System, and all system -related functions, will be used for official purposes only .
B. A tag alert doe s not establish probable cause for an arrest or stop by itself.
When a user discovers a tag alert, it is their responsibility to confirm that the tag alert is valid and is associated
with the correct vehicle prior to taking any law enforcement action.
PURPOSE
A. The purpose of this Order is to provide Department personnel with guidelines and procedures for the collection,
access, use, dissemination, retention, and purging of LPR System information to ensure that the information is used
for legitimate law enforceme nt purposes.
B. The LPR System provides a mechanism to increase the Department’s effectiveness in locating and detecting stolen
vehicles and wanted persons.
DEFINITIONS
A. Hot Tag – License plate associated with vehicles of interest from an associated databas e such as the National
Criminal Information Center (NCIC), the Florida Criminal Information Center (FCIC) or from a local source including
agency generated hot lists. DATE OF
ISSUE EFFECTIVE DATE NUMBER
June 2025 Immediately III-41
Distribution: All Employees
General Order III -41
2 (06/23/2025 ) B. License Plate Recognition (LPR) Reader – A device that uses cameras to c apture digital i mages of license plates ,
hereafter referred to as a Reader .
C. License Plate Recognition (LPR) System – The LPR System , hereafter referred to the System, uses image -
processing technology to identify vehicles by their license plates. Using optical character r ecognition (OCR), the
System’s software transforms pixels of the digital image of a license plate. These images, known as tag detections,
are then compared to various databases, such as NCIC, and agency created tag alerts .
D. System Administrator – The Department Information and Technology Services (ITS) Division member tasked with
administrating the System Program.
E. Tag Alert – An alert from the System that a scanned tag (tag detection) may be in the National Crime Information
Center (NCIC) or other law enforcement database for a specific reason including, but not limited to, being related
to a stolen car, wanted person, missing person, or terrorist -related activity. An alert on a tag that has been properly
vetted by the user. This in cludes verifying what tag was read, what the tag was interpreted as, and confirming the
accuracy of the tag alert.
F. Tag Detection – A digital record of tag scanned by a Reader and recorded in the System software .
SYSTEM MANAGEMENT AND ACCESS GUIDELINES
A. Device assignment and asset deployment is managed by the Crimes Against Property Major, or designee.
B. System access is provided by the System Administer.
1. The System Administrator, or designee, manages the System accounts and filters access to program featu res
on an as needed basis.
2. Accounts are granted for official use only.
C. Database records are maintained on an off -site server managed by the vendor. Any records retained by Department
members for investigative or evidentiary purposes will be retained in a manner consistent the Florida Department
of States Records Retention Schedule.
D. The LPR System will only be utilized by authorized members of the Department who hold current certifications for
access to the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) .
Additional training is available to users within the System software.
SYSTEM USAGE
A. The user who receives a tag alert will confirm all aspects of the information prior to taking any law enforcement
action. The tag detections and alerts are stored in a system maintained by a Department -approved vendor.
B. Authorized use rs may only utilize the System for legitimate law enforcement purposes which include , but are not
limited to, the following :
1. Alert authorized users that a particular license plate on a “hot list” is in close proximity to a Reader
2. Identify plates associated with potential witnesses and/or victims or violent crime.
3. Identify plates linked to stolen motor vehicles or stolen tags.
General Order III -41
3 (06/23/2025 ) C. Mobile Reader Tag Alert Protocol
1. A tag alert detected by the mobile Reader will alert the system user , as well as any user logged on to the
software . The software may be monitored by authorized personnel, select members of the Emergency
Communications Center, and any other authorized member who has been granted access by Command Staff,
or designee.
2. Members who receive a tag alert via the Reader must confirm the tag alert prior to taking law enforcement
action. The tag alert can be considered a valid al ert once the following steps have been taken:
a. Visually verifying the tag detection with the tag alert; including