California Automated License Plate Reader Usage and Privacy Policy
In some of our store locations, you may have noticed cameras in our parking lots with signs letting you know that we use automated license plate readers (ALPR). We understand that you may have some questions about ALPR and how it works. So, we have put this ALRP notice together to help answer some of those questions about the technology.
Purpose, Use, and Data Sharing
As the name suggests, an ALPR camera takes a photo of your license plate. The image of your license plate is scanned, and the letters and numbers are translated into machine-readable text to make them searchable. Along with your license plate, these cameras also collect the date, time, location of the image, and the surrounding area around the license plate. While your license plate information is automatically collected, we don’t keep information on every license plate. We only keep the plate information when our asset protection team has confirmed the related vehicle was involved in an incident and/or suspected crime.
We also don’t sell the data collected from these cameras for money or other commercial purposes. We use these cameras to promote safety and discourage crime, which means we may share ALPR data with law enforcement as part of our investigation packet if we file a case (in line with our Privacy Policy). We may also work with other retailers to keep track of organized retail crime groups to help stop their criminal activities, similar to a neighborhood watch, but for businesses. When we work with other retailers, we typically share public data such as vehicle details (make, model, and color) and license plate information. With the ultimate goal of safer parking lots and stores and keeping the yummy food and other products you love on the shelves.
Data Access and Monitoring
Keeping this information limited to a select few is one of the steps we take to protect this data. The Director of Corporate Asset Protection is responsible for the ALPR software, and ensuring access to the information is limited. Only approved and fully trained Albertsons Companies associates from our asset protection team (the team that is responsible for store safety related to crime and theft) have access to review the recordings and data throughout the year.
We believe the training of our asset protection team is vital to protecting your personal data. So, the required training to access this information was developed to include the background on acceptable business use cases (highlighting the extent they can use it), conditions and restrictions while using the software, guidelines on sharing the data, and how their activities are monitored (yes, we take steps to check for mis-use of the technology). For example, we regularly review our system logs to make sure only those who are approved are accessing the system and check searches conducted, licenses entered, and reports ran to ensure that the system is being used for its intended purpose. We also keep and update an approved user list as our associates are added and removed.
Outside of the asset protection team, we may contact the ALPR vendor for technical support. For example, to review and help correct license plate translations that are incomplete or inaccurate.
Data Retention
In most cases, the license plate data is automatically deleted after 60 days if the vehicle is not involved in any suspected illegal activity. However, if the store where the license data is collected is highly impacted by crime, we hold on to the data for 12 months. At the end of the 12 months, the asset protection team reviews the license data to determine if we need to hold on to it for longer. Of course, if the license data is part of an ongoing investigation or case, we will hold on to it as long as the investigation and case are active or otherwise required.
Contact Us
A written copy of this policy is available to you. Simply ask by sending us an email or request a copy by mail:
Mailing Address: Albertsons Companies, Inc.
Attn: Albertsons Privacy Office
250 Parkcenter Blvd.
Boise, ID 83706
Email Address: privacyoffice@albertsons.com