Citizens On Patrol (C.O.P.)
Effective date: 08-Oct-2026
Last updated: 08-Oct-2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Citizens On Patrol ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, shares and protects personal information when you use the Citizens On Patrol mobile app and related services (the "Service").
The Service lets people in the United States report traffic violations with photos or videos. Reports are reviewed by participating law enforcement agencies, and reporters earn reward points when a fine is recorded for their report.
By using the Service, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.
1. Who this policy applies to
- Citizens: people who create an account to submit reports and earn reward points.
- Officers and administrators: staff of participating agencies and our own staff, who get accounts by invitation to review reports and manage the Service.
- People who appear in reports: drivers, vehicle owners and bystanders who may be captured in photos or videos submitted through the Service. Section 6 explains how we handle that information.
The Service is only for people 18 or older who live in the United States.
2. Information we collect
2.1 Information you give us
| Category | Examples | When |
|---|---|---|
| Account information | Email address and/or mobile phone number, password (stored only as a one-way hash) | When you sign up |
| Profile information | First and last name, street address, ZIP code, ID document number (for example a driver's license or state ID number) | When you complete your profile |
| Officer information | Designation or rank, badge ID, agency or department | Officer accounts only |
| Report content | Photos, videos (which may include audio), violation type, description, vehicle details (license plate, make, model, color, type), and whether the vehicle was moving | When you submit a report |
| Feedback and bug reports | Your message, plus app version, build number, operating system and OS version | When you send feedback or report a bug |
| Communications | Messages you send to our support team | When you contact us |
We do not collect bank account, card or other payment details. Reward points have no cash value and are not paid out.
2.2 Information collected automatically
| Category | Examples | When |
|---|---|---|
| Precise location | GPS coordinates of the violation, and the address we work out from them | Only while you are using the app to create a report, and only if you allow location access |
| Media metadata | Date, time and GPS location embedded in a photo or video file (EXIF or similar data) | When you upload media |
| Device and push information | A push notification token, device type, operating system | When you allow notifications |
| Usage and log data | IP address, request times, the pages and features used, and error logs | When you use the Service |
We do not use advertising identifiers, do not track you across other companies' apps or websites, and do not show third-party advertising.
2.3 Information from third parties
- Sign in with Apple, Google or Facebook: if you choose to sign in this way, we receive a unique account identifier and, if you allow it, your name and email address. With Apple's "Hide My Email" option, we receive a private relay address instead of your real email.
- License plate recognition: we may automatically read license plates and vehicle details from report photos and videos (see Section 5).
- Participating agencies: the outcome of each report (approved, denied, citation issued, fine paid) and any officer notes.
3. How we use information
We use personal information to:
- Provide the Service: create and secure your account, verify your email or phone number with one-time passcodes, and let you sign in.
- Process reports: store your photos and videos, work out the location, detect vehicle details, and route the report to the right participating agency for review.
- Track reward points: show report status and your reward points balance.
- Communicate with you: send passcodes, report status updates, push notifications, and service or security notices.
- Keep the Service safe: prevent fraud, false or abusive reports, and misuse; enforce our Terms of Service; and protect users, agencies and the public.
- Improve the Service: fix bugs and understand which features are used.
- Meet legal obligations: comply with laws, legal process, and record-keeping requirements.
We do not use your information for automated decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on you. License plate recognition only pre-fills report details. A human officer reviews every report.
4. How we share information
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
We share information only as follows:
4.1 Participating law enforcement agencies
Reports, including photos, videos, location, vehicle details, description and timestamps, are shared with the participating agency responsible for the area where the violation happened. That agency reviews the report and may use it to issue a citation. Agency officers can see your name and email address as the reporter, so they can verify reports and, where the law requires, contact you as a witness. The agency's own policies and public records laws apply to information it holds.
Participating agencies: Note: We will be updating this section soon after our beta testing phase completes.
4.2 Service providers
We use trusted companies to run the Service. They may only use your information to provide services to us:
| Provider | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Amazon Web Services (AWS) | Hosting and secure storage of photos and videos |
| Google (Maps Platform) | Converting GPS coordinates into street addresses |
| Plate Recognizer (ParkPow Inc.) | Reading license plates and vehicle details from report media |
| Twilio | Sending SMS one-time passcodes |
| Google (Gmail / Google Workspace) | Sending emails such as passcodes and notices |
| Expo, Apple Push Notification service, Firebase Cloud Messaging | Delivering push notifications |
| Apple, Google, Meta (Facebook) | Sign-in, only if you choose that option |
Some providers may process information outside your state or outside the United States (for example, Plate Recognizer is based in Canada). Where they do, we require them to protect it.
4.3 Legal and safety reasons
We may disclose information if we believe in good faith that it is necessary to comply with the law, a subpoena, court order or other legal process; to protect the rights, property or safety of you, us, others or the public; or to investigate fraud or false reports.
4.4 Business transfers
If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, financing or sale of assets, information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this policy.
4.5 With your consent
We may share information for other purposes if you ask us to or agree to it.
5. License plate recognition and location
- License plates: to make reporting faster, the Service may send frames from your photos or videos to our license plate recognition provider. It returns the plate number and vehicle details, which you can review and correct before submitting.
- Location: the app asks for location access only while you are using it, to record where a violation happened. You can turn location off in your device settings and enter the location yourself, although reports without an accurate location may not be accepted. We do not track your location in the background.
6. People who appear in reports
Reports may contain images, video, audio, license plates or locations of drivers, passengers, vehicle owners and bystanders. We:
- use this information only to review the reported violation and for the purposes in Section 3;
- give access only to authorized agency staff and to our own staff who need it to operate the Service;
- let agencies hide or disable media that should not be visible; and
- do not use report media for advertising or sell it.
If you appear in a report and have a privacy request, contact us at cop@h4tech.com. Some requests may need to go to the agency that holds the report.
7. How long we keep information
| Information | How long |
|---|---|
| Account and profile information | While your account is active, until you delete it (see Section 8) |
| Reports and media | 2 years. Reports stay on record after you delete your account, but without your personal details. |
| Reward points history | While your account is active. Erased when you delete your account permanently. |
| One-time passcodes | Minutes; they expire and are discarded |
| Server logs | 90 days |
8. Deleting or deactivating your account
You can close your account in the app at any time under Profile → Delete Account. You will be asked to choose one of two options:
- Delete permanently. We erase your name, email, phone number, address, ID number, password, sign-in links (Apple, Google, Facebook) and reward points, and revoke Sign in with Apple. Reports you submitted stay on record for law enforcement purposes but are no longer linked to you. This can't be undone, but you can sign up again later with the same email, phone number or sign-in provider.
- Deactivate for now. Your account is hidden and you are signed out, but your data is kept. Sign in again at any time to restore your account and reward history.
We may keep limited information after deletion where the law requires it or to prevent fraud. You can also email cop@h4tech.com to ask us to delete your account.
9. How we protect information
We use administrative, technical and physical safeguards, including:
- encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS) for all app and server communication;
- passwords stored only as one-way hashes;
- access to report media limited to authorized users, through access-controlled or time-limited links; and
- role-based access for officers and administrators.
No method of transmission or storage is completely secure. If a data breach affects your personal information, we will notify you as the law requires.
10. Your choices
- Profile details: view and update them in the app under Profile.
- Location, camera, microphone and photos: allow or deny access in your device settings at any time.
- Push notifications: turn them off in your device settings.
- Emails and SMS: passcodes and essential service messages can't be turned off while you have an account. We do not send marketing messages without your consent.
11. Your US state privacy rights
Depending on where you live (for example California, Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia, Utah, Texas, Oregon and other states with consumer privacy laws), you may have the right to:
- know and access the personal information we hold about you;
- correct inaccurate information;
- delete your personal information;
- get a copy of your information in a portable format;
- opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information, or of targeted advertising. We do neither.
- limit the use of sensitive personal information. We use sensitive information (precise location, ID number, account login) only to provide the Service.
- not be discriminated against for exercising these rights.
To make a request, email cop@h4tech.com or use the in-app options above. We will verify your identity before acting on a request, usually by confirming control of your account email or phone number. You may use an authorized agent; we may ask for proof of their authority. If we deny your request, you may appeal by replying to our decision. If your appeal is denied, you may contact your state attorney general.
California notice at collection: we collect the categories of information described in Section 2 (identifiers, customer records, geolocation, audio and visual information, internet activity, and inferences from license plate recognition) for the purposes in Section 3. We keep it for the periods in Section 7. We do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined under the CCPA/CPRA.
12. Children
The Service is not intended for anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has given us information, contact cop@h4tech.com and we will delete it.
13. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you in the app or by email before they take effect. The "Last updated" date at the top shows when the policy last changed.
14. Contact us
Citizens On Patrol
Email: cop@h4tech.com
Support: cop@h4tech.com