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Dayton, OH Privacy & Surveillance: License Plate Readers (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Enacted
Ord. 31886-21, passed 5-12-21
Covers
Automatic license plate readers, named explicitly
Requires
Public hearing + Commission approval first
Use Policy must set
Data retention period + deletion rules
Use Policy must disclose
Third-party and non-city data sharing

Summary

Dayton's Surveillance Oversight Ordinance names automatic license plate readers as regulated Surveillance Technology, requiring a public hearing, City Commission approval, and a published data-retention and data-sharing policy before police can deploy them.

"Surveillance Technology" means any device or system...Examples of surveillance technologies include but are not limited to: cell site simulators (Stingrays); automatic license plate readers; gunshot detectors...The Commission shall consider a request by Dayton Police Department made pursuant to this ordinance following a public hearing with proper notice and the opportunity for residents to submit written and verbal comments...prior to...(1)Acquiring new Surveillance Technology...

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35).

Full Breakdown

Ordinance 31886-21 (R.C.G.O. §§ 34.09-34.15) names automatic license plate readers as an example of 'Surveillance Technology' the Dayton Police Department must clear before use. DPD must submit a Surveillance Impact Report and a proposed Use Policy at least 30 days before a public hearing, then win majority City Commission approval. The required Use Policy must spell out data-retention periods and deletion procedures, and must state 'if and how other city or non-city entities can access, use, or retain the information': covering any third-party or federal data-sharing arrangement, disclosed publicly before ALPRs go live.

Violations & Fines

DPD may not use ALPR data outside the approved purpose, and the City may not sign a data-sharing agreement that conflicts with the ordinance; employees who knowingly violate it face internal discipline and a report to the Commission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Dayton's police department need approval to use license plate readers?
Yes. Ord. 31886-21 requires a Surveillance Impact Report, a public hearing, and a majority City Commission vote before DPD can acquire or deploy automatic license plate readers.
Can Dayton share ALPR data with federal agencies like ICE?
The ordinance sets no blanket rule: it requires the Commission-approved Use Policy to state 'if and how' any non-city entity can access the data, so any sharing arrangement must be publicly disclosed first.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Dayton

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All Dayton rules

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