Attorney General Bonta Continues Legal Challenge to Stop El Cajon from Illegally Sharing License Plate Data

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed a motion in California v. City of El Cajon as part of his continued effort to vindicate the privacy rights of Californians and enforce California law. On October 3, 2025, Attorney General Bonta filed a lawsuit against the City of El Cajon over its refusal to comply with state law by sharing data pulled from Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) systems with over 100 out-of-state law enforcement agencies. California law prohibits local law enforcement entities from sharing ALPR data with federal and out-of-state agencies. Despite clear guidance and multiple warnings, the City of El Cajon Police Department continues to share this sensitive data nationwide. As a result, Attorney General Bonta is asking the San Diego County Superior Court to declare these actions unlawful and compel El Cajon to follow state law and perform its duty of protecting sensitive ALPR data and the privacy rights of Californians.

“At a time when personal data is treated like gold, we need to ensure that state and local agencies are doing their part to protect it,” said Attorney General Bonta. “As the Trump Administration continues to target Americans’ private and sensitive data to use beyond its intended purpose, it is important that we maintain safeguards to ensure this technology is used appropriately and lawfully. California law requires ALPR data to remain within state lines. With this latest action, I’m asking the court to immediately halt the sharing of license plate data and keep El Cajon from jeopardizing the privacy and safety of Californians.”

ALPR technology uses computer-controlled camera systems mounted at various locations, including streetlights and freeway overpasses, to scan all license plate numbers that come into view. The data collected through these systems reveal the individual movements of California residents, including their driving patterns and locations of residences, places of worship, workplaces, medical providers, and schools. Sharing this data with out-of-state agencies is a violation of California law that requires California law enforcement agencies that collect ALPR data to only share that data with California public agencies. Moreover, once data is shared with out-of-state agencies and no longer subject to California privacy protections, it can then be shared with federal agencies in further violation of California law.

In October 2023, Attorney General Bonta issued a law enforcement bulletin providing guidance and model policies regarding the use of data collected or accessed through an ALPR system. The bulletin advised that ALPR data can only be shared with “public agencies,” and that the term “public agency,” as defined in state law, does not include out-of-state and federal agencies. After learning that the City of El Cajon was sharing ALPR data with numerous out-of-state law enforcement agencies, the Attorney General contacted the El Cajon Police Chief regarding the limitations on ALPR data-sharing in state law. Despite this and subsequent outreach, the El Cajon Police Department and the City of El Cajon have refused to cease the unlawful practice of sharing ALPR data with out-of-state agencies.

To protect Californians’ private data, Attorney General Bonta requests that the San Diego County Superior Court issue a writ of mandamus ordering the City of El Cajon, the El Cajon Police Department, and Chief Jeremiah Larson to follow California law and to cease sharing ALPR data with out-of-state public agencies. Attorney General Bonta further requests declaratory and injunctive relief. The San Diego Superior County Court will hold a hearing on this case on February 13, 2026.