Stanford University has terminated its contract with Flock and has a new contract with the Genetec Cloudrunner system for its license plate reader cameras.

“Unlike the Flock system, the new system is designed for use within a single institution,” said Patrick Dunkley, vice provost for institutional equity, access, and community.

In the new system, the cameras will collect still images of vehicle information from campus entrances that will be stored in a cloud server for less than an hour, during which time they will not be accessible by any third party. The data will then be automatically transferred to a server that Stanford exclusively controls, and the data will be permanently deleted from the cloud.

Stanford began using automated license plate recognition (ALPR) cameras in 2024. The Stanford Department of Public Safety (DPS) uses the license plate recognition system to help investigate crimes in which a vehicle is reportedly involved. The cameras are designed to capture a car’s license plate, the vehicle’s make and model, and any identifying vehicle features such as bumper stickers or damage. The cameras are not designed to capture images of drivers or passengers, and are not used to automatically issue citations for moving violations.

Since installing the ALPR system, DPS has used it in conjunction with the university’s security camera system to investigate various crimes. Its use has led to arrests of a serial thief who stole property from multiple offices over the course of several weeks and another serial thief who stole packages from multiple areas on campus. The systems have also helped DPS investigate more serious crimes.

“These license plate reader cameras are an important investigative tool, and they are just one of the ways that DPS is leveraging technology to help keep our community safe,” said DPS Chief Laura Wilson.

DPS does not provide other law enforcement agencies or third parties with access to the license plate reader camera system. DPS also publishes an annual report on how the camera system has been used and community feedback DPS has received regarding the use of the cameras for campus security.