San Jose police rein in license-plate reader policies as surveillance-tech debate rages

SAN JOSE — Amid blowback to the spread of automated license-plate readers surveilling Bay Area cities and fears about such technology enabling more immigration enforcement, the San Jose Police Department is reining in its data retention and access for outside agencies, according to the police chief and policy documents.

A license plate reader on Santa Teresa Boulevard is seen in Morgan Hill, California, on Oct.10, 2023. Neighboring San Jose has 474 such cameras installed throughout the city...