Press Conference on Dayton Police Department's Suspension of Automated License Plate Readers

During a press conference held by the Dayton, Ohio city government on May 1, 2026, officials announced the indefinite suspension of the Dayton Police Department's fixed-site automated license plate readers (ALPRs) due to unauthorized data sharing. An internal investigation revealed that a network sharing feature had been enabled, allowing broader access to ALPR data than intended, including by federal agencies and out-of-state law enforcement, some using the data for immigration purposes. The department disabled all federal data sharing as of April 7, 2026, and the former division commander responsible for the oversight was removed from the department. The city manager expressed support for an external review to improve oversight and rebuild community trust. The suspension also halted plans to expand the fixed-site ALPR program, impacting the department's crime-fighting capabilities. The department emphasized that mobile ALPR data in patrol cars remains secure and unaffected.