squad tracking system – SmartForce®’s Blog

The SmartForce® Team
SmartForce Technologies Inc.

The Virginia General Assembly has passed legislation regarding the use and management of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) that is expected to bring significant changes for law enforcement agencies. As the bill awaits the Governor’s decision in early May, command staff should proactively review their internal systems, policies, and reporting workflows.

This legislation is more than just a compliance update; it represents a shift in the expectations surrounding data oversight, transparency, and public trust.

Five Critical Questions for Command Staff

As agencies prepare for what’s next, these are the questions leaders should be asking now:

How are we currently collecting and reporting stop data for the Virginia Community Policing Act?
Can we accurately identify and categorize ALPR-related stops across our agency?
Are ALPR interactions tied to specific zones, neighborhoods, or patrol areas?
Do we have visibility into which officers or units are generating ALPR contacts and why?
If asked to explain our ALPR usage to council members, oversight boards, or the public and can we do so confidently?

The answers to these questions will determine whether your agency leads with clarity or plays catch-up under scrutiny.

How CitizenContact Helps Agencies Operationalize ALPR Oversight

Agencies already using CitizenContact to comply with the Virginia Community Policing Act are well-positioned to handle the demands of HB2724. The platform was designed to ensure law enforcement can meet policy requirements without adding unnecessary complexity to field operations.

Here’s how CitizenContact helps answer the questions above:

Structured Stop Data Collection

CitizenContact is built for real-time data capture that aligns with Virginia’s Community Policing Act. Officers document stops using intuitive forms that feed directly into your analytics environment—removing guesswork and standardizing your agency’s compliance efforts.

Real-Time Stop Data Capture
Built for Virginia’s Community Policing Act
Streamlined Officer Input
Seamless Analytics Integration
Standardized Compliance—No Guesswork

ALPR-Specific Tagging

Customizable Tags allow command staff to categorize ALPR-related stops by type: Stolen Vehicle Hit, Investigative Alert, and more. These tags surface context in reporting, so you’re not just logging a stop but explaining why it happened.

Customizable ALPR Stop Tags
Categorize by Hit Type (e.g., Stolen Vehicle, Investigative Alert)
Add Context to Every Stop
Smarter Reporting, Stronger Oversight
Go Beyond Logging—Explain the Why

Contextual Mapping Through Areas

All ALPR interactions are automatically linked to Areas defined by the agency (beats, zones, hotspots, etc.). This enables analysts and supervisors to identify trends, compare outcomes across regions, and ensure proper resource deployment.

Automatic Geo-Linking to Agency-Defined Areas
Tag Interactions by Beat, Zone, or Hotspot
Spot Trends & Regional Patterns
Compare Outcomes Across Locations
Deploy Resources with Precision

Group-Based Visibility

The Groups feature lets you view ALPR stop activity by unit, squad, or initiative—supporting transparency across teams.

From Data to Clarity—Before the Scrutiny Arrives

Should HB2724 become law, the spotlight on ALPR data will intensify. Requests from the media, oversight boards, and the public will demand that your agency not only has the data but can explain it clearly.

CitizenContact gives you that structure, one that turns daily activity into insight.

Lead the Conversation—Don’t Just Respond to It

Whether HB2724 is signed into law or not, the momentum toward greater transparency is here to stay. Agencies that act now will be better positioned to demonstrate accountability and strategic foresight.

Want to see how CitizenContact helps agencies manage ALPR oversight and stop data compliance?

Schedule a demo.