Fairfax County Reviews Automated License Plate Reader Program

The Fairfax County Public Safety Committee is reviewing the county's automated license plate reader program on October 20, 2026, amid community concerns over data security, privacy, and information sharing. The Fairfax County Police Department currently operates 84 Flock Safety cameras and 714 Axon vehicle-mounted systems. Police credit the technology with locating 60 missing people and recovering 67 guns and 573 stolen vehicles.

To mitigate privacy risks, the police department previously limited system access from 821 to 286 personnel and reduced data retention to 21 days. The committee is now weighing three options: maintaining the current program while evaluating vendors, testing alternative technologies, or establishing a closed county network to stop outside data sharing. Police officials warned that a closed network could hinder the ability to solve crimes across different jurisdictions.

This review follows a ban on similar technology by the Fairfax County school system and restrictive measures taken in Alexandria and Arlington County. Any final changes to the program must be approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.