Learn · Policy
Data retention
How long captured plate reads are stored — the single most important policy lever for LPR oversight.
Why retention matters
A plate read is a low-value data point alone, but a year of plate reads is a high-resolution movement profile. Short retention (7–30 days) limits LPR systems to near-real-time investigative use. Long retention (1+ years) enables retrospective tracking of every driver, indefinitely. The single highest-impact reform you can push for in your city is shorter retention.
Typical retention windows
Flock's default is 30 days. Some agencies extend to 90 days, 1 year, or "indefinitely for hot-list matches." Best-practice civil-liberties policies (e.g., the EFF model policy) recommend 7 days or less for non-hit data.