# Senate Scrutinizes ALPR Procurement Practices

The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism conducted a hearing examining the use of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs), focusing on privacy, cybersecurity, and data governance concerns. Senators from both parties urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue formal guidance for state and local agencies on ALPR data use and discussed potential legislative measures to regulate these systems and protect citizen privacy. Concurrently, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released policy recommendations advocating a balanced approach that preserves public safety benefits while implementing safeguards against misuse. These developments signal increased federal oversight and potential regulatory changes impacting ALPR procurement and contract renewals at state and local levels.

- Procurement professionals should anticipate DOJ guidance that may introduce new compliance requirements for ALPR systems, affecting contract specifications and vendor selection.
- Vendors like Flock, Axon, Motorola, and Verkada face heightened scrutiny, emphasizing the need for enhanced cybersecurity features and transparency in ALPR offerings.
- State and local agencies may need to reassess existing ALPR contracts to align with forthcoming federal privacy and data protection standards.
- Organizations involved in ALPR technology should evaluate policy recommendations from AFPI and congressional discussions to inform strategic planning and risk management in upcoming procurements.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Public Safety, Information Technology
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** September 23, 2026

### Government Entities
- Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism
- Justice Department (DOJ)
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- America First Policy Institute (AFPI)

### Vendors
- Flock (ALPR provider)
- Axon (ALPR provider)
- Motorola (ALPR provider)
- Verkada (ALPR provider)

### Key Quotes
> Practically every state in the union now has [ALPRs]. Hundreds of thousands of them, recording billions of images every single month. And the question is, where are all of these images going? Who is using them? What are the privacy protections for them? How do we make sure that this kind of surveillance is consonant with the Constitution of the United States?
> — Josh Hawley, Senator

> How do you close that loophole?
> — Alex Padilla, Senator

> You ban them, sir, you ban them.
> — Chad Marlow, Senior Policy Counsel, American Civil Liberties Union

### Sources
- [Flock camera systems receive bipartisan scrutiny from senators  - Nextgov/FCW](https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2026/09/flock-camera-systems-receive-bipartisan-scrutiny-senators/416178) - nextgov.com
- [AFPI Releases Balanced Approach to Using License Plate Readers – AFPI](https://americafirstpolicy.com/issues/afpi-releases-balanced-approach-to-using-license-plate-readers) - americafirstpolicy.com