A proposed state bill targeting automated license plate readers could reshape how Cottonwood Heights police use the camera system the city contracted for nearly three years ago.
Sen. Cal Musselman, chair of the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee, formally requested a bill file on Thursday, Sept. 17, to strengthen privacy rules on license plate reader systems used by police across Utah. Utah News Dispatch first reported the bill would regulate multiple surveillance technologies beyond license plate readers, Musselman said.
The move matters locally. Cottonwood Heights already runs its own system. The City Council unanimously approved Resolution 2023-55 on Oct. 17, 2023, contracting with Vigilant Solutions, a Motorola subsidiary, for license plate reader services. All five council members voted yes: Mayor Michael T. Weichers, Matt Holton, J. Scott Bracken, Shawn E. Newell and Ellen Birrell.
The city budgeted $20,000 for five cameras. Police Chief Robby Russo told the council in July 2023 that Vigilant Solutions was a better fit than competitor Flock Safety as a larger company with more resources at a lower cost, according to council meeting minutes.
Russo first pitched the technology in February 2023 after a traffic accident in which a car fled the scene and Midvale police used plate reader data to locate it within moments, according to council minutes from that meeting. Council Member Newell raised privacy concerns at the time, citing past state-level issues with similar technology.
Why the state is acting now
Gov. Spencer Cox directed the Utah Privacy Governing Board in August to review how local agencies use the cameras, Utah News Dispatch reported. The order followed a Utah Civic Compact investigation that found 10 cameras in Weber County were searched 5.1 million times by police agencies across 45 states, as the Deseret News reported.
"We recognize the value for law enforcement purposes," Musselman, a West Haven Republican, said at the committee meeting. "We can also recognize there's some legitimate concerns on privacy."
Utah already restricts plate reader searches to active criminal investigations, outstanding warrants, missing persons and stolen vehicles under Utah Code § 41-6a-2003. Data retention is capped at nine months. Officers who misuse the systems face class B misdemeanor charges and potential loss of credentials through the state's Peace Officer Standards and Training process.
The new bill would go further, though specific provisions have not been released.
Law enforcement responds
The Utah Law Enforcement Legislative Committee (ULELC), representing police chiefs, sheriffs and prosecutors, submitted a statement to the interim committee on Wednesday, Sept. 16, supporting targeted new protections while urging lawmakers to preserve the tools.
Christopher Bramwell, Utah's chief privacy officer, told the committee the review is complicated because plate readers serve agencies beyond police, including higher education and the Utah Inland Port Authority.
Salt Lake City Council Chair Alejandro Puy delayed a planned city ordinance on the cameras, the Salt Lake Tribune reported, saying it would be "a waste of everybody's time and resources" to pass rules that state law might soon override.
No response from Cottonwood Heights police or city officials on how the proposed bill might affect the city's Vigilant Solutions contract is available as of publication. The Utah Legislature convenes in January, when the bill is expected to be formally introduced.
