UW–Madison Police Department

ALPR Cameras at UW-Madison

UWPD squad parked on State Street at night

The UW-Madison Police Department uses a limited number of automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras to support our critical mission of keeping our campus community safe.

These cameras are designed to help law enforcement identify vehicles connected to specific criminal investigations, locate missing persons, and respond more effectively to serious safety concerns — while respecting privacy and civil liberties.

At this time, only UWPD squad dashboard cameras utilize ALPR technology.

How UWPD Uses ALPR Cameras

UWPD uses ALPR cameras as an investigative and situational-awareness tool, not for general surveillance. Per UWPD policy, access to the system is restricted to UWPD personnel only. All access is logged and audited to ensure compliance.

  • The cameras are built to support crime prevention and investigations by helping us quickly identify vehicles tied to serious incidents such as stolen vehicles, Amber Alerts, violent crime, and missing persons.
  • The cameras are focused on vehicle data — not individuals. The technology captures license plates and vehicle characteristics. It does not gather personal identity details about drivers or passengers, and it does not use facial recognition.
  • The cameras allow us to work faster and smarter. Automated license plate reader technology provides searchable, objective evidence that helps us locate suspects and critical vehicles far more quickly than relying solely on tips or manual investigation alone.

What we use the cameras for:

  • Assisting with investigations of serious crimes

  • Helping locate missing or endangered persons

  • Identifying vehicles associated with public safety threats

  • Providing alerts for vehicles connected to active investigations

The system allows officers to search for vehicles based on specific criteria related to a legitimate law-enforcement purpose.

What we DON’T use the cameras for:

  • Monitoring individuals or tracking people

  • Conducting random or continuous surveillance

  • Enforcing traffic violations

  • Tracking vehicles for immigration enforcement

  • Identifying drivers or vehicle occupants

  • Conducting facial recognition (the system does not have this capability)