Setting a Higher Standard for LPR Data Protection
License plate recognition (LPR) technology plays a vital role in modern public safety, but recent industry headlines have raised important questions about privacy, data sharing, and accountability. When LPR systems are misused or data is shared without proper oversight, public trust suffers — and the entire industry feels the impact.
At Leonardo U.S. Cyber & Security Solutions, we believe it’s essential to clearly state our position:
For more than 20 years, we have built LPR technology around data autonomy, transparency, and lawful use.
Leonardo does not aggregate, monetize, access, or share LPR data without explicit customer direction. Each agency’s data is stored either on-premises or in a dedicated, siloed cloud environment, never pooled into a nationwide database. Data sharing, when it occurs, is strictly opt-in and fully controlled by the customer agency.
This data sovereignty model ensures that communities, not vendors, decide how LPR data is used.
Accountability Is Built In
Responsible technology requires transparency. That’s why our LPR systems include comprehensive audit logs that record every access, query, and action. Role-based permissions, multi-factor authentication, and CJIS-aligned security controls help agencies prevent misuse while maintaining clear accountability and oversight.
Every search is traceable. Every action is auditable.
Security, Compliance, and Ethics Go Hand in Hand
Our LPR solutions are designed to meet or exceed FBI CJIS Security Policy requirements, align with GDPR privacy principles, and comply with state and local regulations governing LPR use. Encryption, background-checked personnel, and lawful due-process handling of legal requests are standard — not optional.
We don’t cut corners, and we don’t believe public safety should come at the expense of civil liberties.
A Better Model for Public Safety Technology
License plate readers and software can enhance public safety without becoming mass surveillance — but only when it’s deployed responsibly. We reject centralized, uncontrolled data models that erode trust. Instead, we partner with agencies to ensure transparency, restraint, and ethical use from day one.
In an era where public trust matters more than ever, we’re proud to stand behind a privacy-first approach that proves advanced technology and civil liberties can coexist.
Read our full Commitment to Data Privacy here.
