Police_Technology_Council_Workshop__final.pdf

Buckeye Police 
Department’s Use of 
Technology
Council Workshop
February 17, 2026

Responsible Use of Technology
• Public Safety 
• Privacy
• Accountability
• Policies and Procedures
• Workforce Multiplier
• Training
• Be on the lookout
• What police do now
2

Technologies Utilized 
• Body Cameras
• License Plate Readers 
• Traffic Cameras
• City Cameras
• Buildings
• Parks
• Drones
• 2040 Public Safety Plan
3

Protected Informaiton
Policies and Procedures
• National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system, 
• National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS) 
• Arizona Criminal Justice Information System (ACJIS) 
• Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) 
• Arizona Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (ALETS)
• BPD Policy 812-Protected Information
• BPD Policy 460-Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) 
4

Civil Rights/Privacy Concerns 
Recommendations
• Short retention     30 Days
• Case-specific retention   State Law
• Restricted sharing
• Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice Only Arizona Revised Statute § 41-1756
• Transparency reports
• https://transparency.flocksafety.com/buckeye-az-pd
• Internal Audits
5

Public Safety 
• Stolen vehicles
• Missing persons (AMBER/Silver Alerts/Turquoise)
• Endangered children and adults
• Human trafficking
• Violent crime investigations
• Property crime investigations
• Stalking-orders of protection
• Officer safety
6

LPR Cameras (Flock)
• Capture license plates 
• Vehicle traits(colors) in public spaces only
• No facial recognition
• No personal data
7

How Data Is Protected
• Law Enforcement Only
• 30-day retention 
• Encrypted storage
• Audit logs
• Role-based access
• Policies and Procedures
• Training
• Open Source Data Brokers 
8

Law Enforcement Only 
• Policies and Procedures
• No random searches
• Supervisor oversight
• Annual audits
• Not for sale
9

Information Security
• Every search logged
• Policy violations investigated
• Discipline up to termination
10

Community Concerns
• Public-space cameras
• Targeted searches only
• Do not track lawful activity
• Do not search unless law enforcement-related
• Data is not for sale
• Surveillance- active, systematic, close observation of persons, 
places, or vehicles to gather information, document evidence, 
prevent crimes, or identify suspects.
11

Data Collection
• No facial recognition
• No live tracking of people
• Not shared or sold
12
January 29, 2026, Washington’s Court of 
Appeals (Division III) issued State v. Simonson, 
a decision that a fixed-location automated 
license plate reader (ALPR, also referred to as 
LPR) image of a license plate on a public 
roadway is not the kind of surveillance that the 
Fourth Amendment prohibits.

13

SHOTS FIRED ARREST
14
LPR alerted BPD when a man wanted for firing a 
gun during an argument with his wife returned to 
Buckeye. The man had left the home shortly after 
the December 19, 2025, incident. Later that day, an 
LPR alerted officers that the suspect vehicle had 
returned to the city. Officers responded to the alert 
by attempting to locate the vehicle while also 
responding to the victim’s neighborhood to ensure 
she was safe. The suspect abandoned his car and 
tried to run away, but officers soon caught up with 
him.

RECKLESS DRIVING
15
Buckeye police used LPRs to investigate a 
reckless driving incident shared on social media. 
On April 18, 2025, Buckeye police were made aware 
of a video on social media showing a white vehicle 
with black racing stripes driving recklessly near 
Yuma and Verrado. Officers used LPRs to locate two 
drivers associated with the vehicle. Police were 
unable to determine which driver was involved in 
the incident. Officers warned both of them about 
dangerous driving.

ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE ARREST
16
LPRs used to help Buckeye police locate a 
getaway vehicle and arrest a man for attempted 
second degree murder. On July 5, 2025, officers 
responded to the area of Jackrabbit and Indian 
School to investigate an incident where a 
motorcycle rider opened fire during a group ride. The 
suspect had ditched his motorcycle and left the 
scene when someone driving an SUV picked him up. 
LPRs helped officers locate the getaway vehicle in 
Glendale, and make an arrest.

DUI HIT & RUN INVESTIGATION
17
LPR used to help officers quickly locate a drunk 
driver involved in a hit-and-run. The victim 
provided video to officers showing the suspect’s 
license plate. Officers located a LPR read and made 
contact with the driver, who was long-form on DUI 
charges.

HARASSMENT INVESTIGATION
18
LPR assisted in arrest of a man wanted for 
harassing a woman despite an active order of 
protection. The original incident occurred on 
August 15, 2025. The next day, Buckeye police were 
alerted when an LPR detected the suspect’s vehicle 
had entered the city. Officers located the suspect 
vehicle outside the victim’s home.  Officers were 
told the suspect came to the door and then left 
before officers arrived. The suspect was long 
formed for harassment.

POTENTIAL KIDNAPPING
19
Detectives searched LPR images in 
potential kidnapping investigation that 
made national news. Security footage from 
the Circle K captured February 23, 2024, 
showed a violent incident where a man grabs a 
fleeing woman and drags her to the back of a 
vehicle. As part of the investigation, detectives 
viewed LPR images which ultimately led them 
to the victim. She did not want to speak with 
police, but BPD offered her services. The 
situation was determined to be a domestic 
violence incident.

HOME INVASION ARRESTS
20
Detectives reviewed LPR images in locating and 
arresting two suspects in a violent home invasion. 
The incident was captured on home security cameras 
on December 14, 2024. Investigators developed 
information the suspects, a man and his stepson, were 
travelling between Arizona, Nevada, California and 
Texas. The suspects were ultimately arrested and 
indicted by a grand jury on charges of burglary, armed 
robbery, kidnapping and aggravated assault charges.

SHOOTING THREAT AT PARK
21
LPRs helped detectives locate and arrest three 
teens who threatened to shoot people at 
Buckeye Town Park. The suspects fled the scene 
after the July 24, 2024 incident. LPRs, park 
cameras and good detective work led to the 
arrests of two 16-year-old males and one 17-year-
old male.

CARJACKER ARREST
22
LPR hit alerting to stolen vehicle leads to arrest 
of violent carjacker wanted out of California.
On December 23, 2024, officers quickly located 
the vehicle, conducted a high-risk traffic stop and 
arrested the adult male driver. During the 
investigation, officers learned the driver is a 
suspect in a recent carjacking in California that 
resulted in the victim being hospitalized.

MISSING/ENDANGERED CHILD
23
LPR image of suspect vehicle shared with 
community in search for missing 3-year-old boy 
in custodial interference case. The child’s father 
failed to return the child to the mother on 
December 31, 2023. He then went on a crime 
spree. The child was found wandering a parking 
lot in Phoenix.

MISSING/ENDANGERED ADULT
24
LPR image shared with community showing 
vehicle driven by missing man. He left his home 
December 7, 2024 and family was concerned 
about his health conditions. He was located safe.