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Council District 13 rejects Axon license plate reader donation for Western Avenue

Council District 13 rejects Axon license plate reader donation for Western Avenue

Rule Changes Los Angeles, CA local

LAPD's 18-camera plan for a sex-trafficking corridor is on hold as the district considers conventional cameras instead.

Today: CD13 rejects Axon ALPR donation for Western Avenue

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

Plans to install 18 automated license plate readers on Western Avenue in Koreatown are on hold after Council District 13 rejected a donation of the cameras from Axon Enterprise. The district says it may install conventional cameras instead, and LAPD officers say no city-operated cameras are currently on the corridor.

The shift matters because LAPD framed the cameras as a sex-trafficking tool ahead of the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, while opponents argued the technology would expand police surveillance. What changed is the technology and the funder: the ALPR donation is off, but a different camera plan could still reach the City Council.

Why it matters

It leaves a stretch of Koreatown without the license-plate tracking LAPD planned, while the city weighs conventional cameras that critics say raise similar concerns.

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Key Indicators

18
Planned ALPR cameras
LAPD wanted 18 cameras on Western Avenue between Olympic and Santa Monica boulevards.
9
Votes to veto ALPR pilot
The City Council veto motion fell one vote short of the 10 needed.
2
Council districts on corridor
The Western Avenue segment runs through Council Districts 13 and 10.

Voices

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People Involved

Hugo Soto-Martinez
Hugo Soto-Martinez
Los Angeles City Councilmember, District 13
Opposes ALPRs in his district; alternative camera proposal expected by year's end
AN
Andoni Elias Nava
Spokesperson for Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez
Said district never committed funding and rejected Axon donation
HC
Harry Cho
Senior Lead Officer, Los Angeles Police Department
Said CD13 pulled funding; no city-operated cameras on Western
LB
Lucy Bermudez
Senior Lead Officer, Los Angeles Police Department
Confirmed cameras not installed and project on hold
JK
Jayme Kusyk
Koreatown resident and member of Stop LAPD Spying Coalition
Opposes surveillance cameras, including conventional CCTV
 Heather Hutt
Heather Hutt
Los Angeles City Councilmember, District 10
Voted to veto ALPR pilot; district spans Western Avenue corridor

Organizations Involved

LA
Los Angeles Police Department
City police department
Planned 18 ALPR cameras on Western Avenue; project on hold

The department proposed the Western Avenue cameras as a sex-trafficking tool.
CD
Council District 13
Los Angeles City Council district
Declined Axon ALPR donation; considering non-ALPR cameras

The district rejected the ALPR donation and is working on an alternative camera plan.
Axon Enterprise, Inc.
Axon Enterprise, Inc.
Technology company
Offered to donate ALPR cameras to LAPD Olympic Station

The company supplies LAPD with body cameras, stun guns, and other equipment.
SS
Stop LAPD Spying Coalition
Abolitionist advocacy group
Opposes camera surveillance on Western Avenue

The group argues cameras increase criminalization of sex workers.
BS
Bureau of Street Lighting
Los Angeles city department
Expected to maintain alternative cameras under CD13 proposal

The bureau would maintain the non-ALPR cameras under the district’s plan.

Timeline

October 2026 November 2026

5 events Latest: Today
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. CD13 rejects Axon ALPR donation for Western Avenue

    Today Policy

    District 13 declines Axon cameras and weighs non-ALPR alternative.

  2. Officer says CD13 pulled camera funding

    Statement

    Senior Lead Officer Harry Cho says no city-operated cameras are on Western.

  3. LAPD reports sex-work arrests on Western

    Enforcement

    Officer says morning operation led to arrests, including pimping suspect.

  4. Veto of ALPR pilot falls short

    Policy

    Council veto motion gets nine votes; 10 needed to overturn approval.

  5. City Council asserts jurisdiction over ALPR pilot

    Policy

    Council votes 10-4 to review Police Commission approval of Axon ALPR pilot.

Scenarios

1

Los Angeles approves conventional cameras for Western Avenue

Possible Resolves by Jan 31, 2027

Discussed by: Councilmember Soto-Martínez’s office

The district is considering cameras without license plate reader technology, maintained by the Bureau of Street Lighting. A proposal is expected before the City Council before the end of the year. Approval would keep surveillance on the corridor but remove automated plate tracking.

2

ALPR cameras return to Western Avenue

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: LAPD and local surveillance debate

LAPD could revive the Western Avenue ALPR plan through another donation, grant, or city funding source. The department has not said it will do so, and District 13 remains opposed to the technology.

3

No new cameras go up on Western Avenue

Possible Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: LAist and neighborhood opponents

The district’s alternative plan could stall, and LAPD’s original ALPR project remains on hold. Opponents of both ALPR and conventional cameras would see the corridor stay without new city-operated cameras.

Historical Context

One moment from history that rhymes with this story — and how it unfolded.

October 2026

Los Angeles ALPR pilot vote (2026)

The City Council voted 10-4 to assert jurisdiction over the Police Commission’s approval of an Axon ALPR pilot on city streetlights. A later veto motion got nine votes, one short of the 10 needed.

Then

The pilot survived the veto attempt, but the vote showed a split council.

Now

The fight set the political backdrop for District 13’s rejection of the Western Avenue ALPR donation.

Why this matters now

It shows the same technology and the same council members were already dividing Los Angeles before the Western Avenue plan stalled.

Sources

(2)
LAist The LA Local