The City Council approved the ordinance 6-1 Thursday night. Vice Mayor Arlene Chin cast the lone dissenting vote. The law prohibits law enforcement use of the systems, city funding for them and future contracts, and requires the destruction of existing license-plate-reader data.

Tempe had 33 cameras made by Flock Safety around the city. The cameras record license plate numbers and vehicle information; police have said they used the system to locate stolen vehicles, identify suspects and investigate crimes.

The vote follows the city’s decision in August to end its Flock contract amid concerns about potential misuse. Council member Brooke St. George, who supported the ordinance, said Tempe could help lead a broader movement toward restrictions on the technology.

Chin argued the city could instead regulate the systems and how they are used, calling a ban “short-sighted.”

The prohibition does not shut down Tempe’s broader Real-Time Operations Center, which opened in 2024 and uses hundreds of other cameras to gather evidence and help officers respond to calls. Nor does it cover 20 Flock cameras on Arizona State University’s Tempe campus, which are operated by the university.

Tempe’s action comes as nearly a dozen Arizona cities, towns and counties have ended, paused or said they will not renew contracts for automated license plate readers.