The City of Hoboken and the Hoboken Police Department (HPD) use modern technology, including automated license plate readers (ALPR), as a tool to help prevent and solve crimes, locate stolen vehicles, identify vehicles associated with criminal investigations, conduct parking enforcement, and more.
The City of Hoboken and the HPD abide by, and strictly follow, the New Jersey Attorney General Directive 2022-12, which establishes statewide requirements governing the use of ALPR technology and the data it gathers. This directive is intended to protect an individual’s right to privacy, civil rights, and public safety, by proposing limits on how law enforcement should and should not use ALPR.
HPD and the City of Hoboken understand that residents may have questions and concerns about how the technology works, what information is collected, and how that information is used and protected.
Below are Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the City's use of ALPR cameras:
What is an Automated License Plate Reader? An Automated License Plate Reader, or ALPR, is a technology that uses a camera system to capture and store license plate images and data digitally.
Why do Police Departments use license plate readers? Law enforcement uses ALPR technology to help in the investigation of a variety of crimes, including stolen vehicles, hit-and-run incidents, missing person cases, and helping to locate vehicles associated with wanted people or criminal investigations.
How else does the City of Hoboken use license plate readers? The Department of Transportation and Parking uses license plate recognition to enforce parking rules. Certain Hoboken Parking Utility (HPU) vehicles are outfitted with the cameras. When a violation is detected, the camera captures license plate information and sends it to a parking enforcement officer who can write a ticket.
What providers do the City and HPD use for its ALPR? In October of 2025, the Hoboken City Council approved a 10-year contract between HPD, and a company called Axon for a license plate reader program.
HPU uses technology from a company called Leonardo.
What type of information does a license plate reader collect? An ALPR captures a license plate image, as well as vehicle attributes such as color, make, and vehicle type, along with the time and location of the detection. The captured image may also include surroundings, signage, or people in view. Images are not analyzed for facial recognition or behavioral profiling.
Can HPD use license plate readers however, and whenever, the department, or individual officers, want to use them? No, New Jersey Attorney General Directive 2022-12 establishes statewide requirements governing the use of ALPR technology and rules that data may be accessed only by authorized personnel and for legitimate law enforcement purposes. That includes searching for a wanted person, providing information related to an ongoing investigation, and a crime trend analysis. Agencies are also required to maintain policies and conduct audits of their ALPR programs.
In Hoboken, access is limited to HPD personnel who have completed mandated training and been granted access by the Police Chief's order.
Any member of HPD found to be using the ALPR system for matters other than a specific investigation, case, or other will be held accountable and could result in criminal charges.
What happens to the information and data collected? The Hoboken Police Department owns and controls the ALPR data received via the City's cameras. All ALPR data is stored securely and electronically, with access restricted to authorized users. It is retained for three years and then purged, unless it is tied to an active investigation or pending court case, in which case it’s exported and kept in the case file.
How long is the captured information stored? New Jersey Attorney General guidelines mandate data be retained for up to three years, unless required longer for an active criminal investigation or prosecution.
How can other agencies get access to the data from Hoboken’s ALPR system? New Jersey runs a statewide API (Application Programming Interface) that gives law enforcement agencies real-time access to ALPR data across the state, and agencies can also share regionally. Sharing with agencies outside New Jersey, or with an agency not covered by the directive, requires a written agreement and approval from the State ALPR Coordinator. Access to data may be subject to sharing under judicial subpoena. Data cannot be shared for the purposes of civil immigration enforcement.
Can ICE access HPD's license plate readers? No. Hoboken Police will not share any information gathered by the ALPR system. ICE cannot access HPD systems because the data may at some point be compelled to be released through a judicial subpoena.
Does HPD or AXON sell the information collected? No. Information and data collected by the ALPR system is not sold.
What else can ALPR cameras NOT do? ALPR cameras do not continuously monitor or track individuals. They also do not record audio, including conversations, use facial recognition to identify people, access a person’s phone or other personal devices, provide personal information, or sell or provide data to insurance companies, or any other type of company, individual, or entity.
How do AXON and HPD protect residents' information? Access to law enforcement data is restricted and controlled, and systems are designed with security and access controls. The City and HPD take the security of law enforcement information seriously. Unauthorized access is not permitted, and violations can result in criminal charges.
Will HPD use license plate readers to monitor residents? No. The purpose of Hoboken's ALPR program is for public safety and criminal investigations only and NOT for surveillance of residents. Under the State ALPR requirements, access and use of any information gathered by the cameras must have a legitimate law-enforcement purpose.
What other cameras might I see around the City? In addition to the Police Department and HPU cameras mentioned above, the City also uses security cameras and traffic cameras, to assist with studies to improve safety and conditions. Read more specifics on this below.
Additionally, the Hudson County Board of Commissioners has approved the installation of ALPR cameras on certain County-owned light poles within the City of Hoboken. For a map of County roads, go to www.visithudson.org/abouthc/countyroadmap/
How do ALPR systems differ from the cameras installed at city parks? The security cameras currently being used at parks and municipal garages are Verkada cameras. The Verkada cameras are used to enhance response times, assist with investigations, and promote other crime-fighting initiatives. These cameras are monitored by HPD and do not perform license plate recognition. The system allows police to search footage using a keyword search to assist with police investigations.
Only representatives from the City Departments of Public Safety, Administration, and Infrastructure have access to footage, as well as technical support staff at In-Shore Technologies, which is the installation and setup vendor.
Footage from Verkada may be subject to sharing under judicial subpoena. Data cannot be shared for the purposes of civil immigration enforcement. It can be shared with the Hudson County Prosecutors Office or NJ Attorney General's Office for assistance with criminal investigations and prosecution.
Verkada offers extensive information regarding the privacy and security of data collected here: Trust: Enterprise Privacy, Security & System Status at Verkada
What about the Washington Street cameras the City used to crack down on parking violations? In 2025, as part of Hoboken’s Vision Zero initiative, the City conducted a pilot program with Automotus called CLEAR. The City used the pilot to test whether automated license plate enforcement cameras could address concerns about unsafe and illegal parking behaviors, including double-parking, obstructed bike lanes, blocked bus stops, and overstaying loading zones on lower Washington Street. The pilot ended in December 2025. However, Automotus cameras remain installed along Washington Street between Observer Highway and Eighth Street and on River Street between First Street and Second Street, for curb management analysis purposes only. This data is used to assist in the collection of traffic data to help improve congestion, safety, and curb management. These cameras do not collect personal identifying information.
Does the City also have traffic cameras? You may have seen cameras that collect traffic data to help City planners and the Hoboken Police Department improve road safety and manage traffic circulation. Hoboken uses Miovision, a traffic technology company, which gathers information that is analyzed and used to further Hoboken's Vision Zero initiative, make our streets safer, reduce traffic congestion during Rebuild by Design-related roadway closures in south Hoboken, and plan for future infrastructure. Miovision does not use facial or license plate recognition. It records objects, not individuals.
What about traditional security cameras? The City, like many residents and businesses, uses standard security cameras at municipal buildings, to deter crime, protect property and ensure the safety of employees, and the visiting public. They do not have any integration with another system and do not attach personal identifying information to any images captured.
