American Locator & Recovery (“ALR,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects the privacy and confidentiality of the information entrusted to us. This Privacy Policy explains how ALR collects, uses, retains, protects, and discloses information received through the ALR website and its service-request or information-submission forms.
This policy applies to information submitted through the ALR website by surety companies, licensed bail bond agencies, attorneys, and other parties authorized to request or inquire about ALR’s services. It also applies to limited technical information generated when someone visits the website.
1. Information We Collect
Information submitted through the website
ALR collects information voluntarily provided through its service-request or information-submission forms. Depending on the nature of the inquiry or assignment, this may include:
- Name, business name, job title, and professional affiliation;
- Business address, email address, and telephone number;
- Bail agency, surety company, attorney, or requesting-party information;
- Professional license or authorization information;
- Bond, court, warrant, and case information;
- Defendant identifying and contact information;
- Photographs, physical descriptions, known addresses, telephone numbers, vehicle information, and location information;
- Information concerning associates, indemnitors, relatives, or other relevant contacts;
- Assignment instructions and requested services;
- Documents uploaded or otherwise submitted in support of an assignment; and
- Communications and other information voluntarily included by the submitting party.
Authorized parties should submit only information that is reasonably necessary for a legitimate inquiry or assignment and that they are legally permitted to provide.
Information collected automatically
ALR does not use the website to create advertising profiles or prospective-client marketing lists. However, ALR’s website-hosting and security systems may automatically generate limited technical records when someone accesses the website. These records may include:
- Internet Protocol address;
- Browser and device type;
- Operating system;
- Date and time of access;
- Pages requested;
- Referring website; and
- Security, error, and server-log information.
ALR uses this technical information to operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and protect the website. ALR does not use it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
2. Sources of Information
ALR may receive information through the website from:
- Surety companies;
- Licensed bail bond agencies;
- Attorneys;
- Authorized representatives of a requesting organization;
- Other parties legally authorized to request ALR’s services; and
- Website-hosting, security, and technical systems that generate basic operational logs.
ALR’s website is not intended to be used by unauthorized individuals to submit private information about another person.
3. How We Use Information
ALR may use information received through the website as reasonably necessary to:
- Identify and communicate with the requesting party;
- Respond to an inquiry or request for services;
- Determine whether ALR can accept an assignment;
- Verify the identity and authority of the requesting party;
- Review and verify bond, warrant, court, and case documentation;
- Independently confirm that an active warrant or other lawful authority exists;
- Confirm assignments with the responsible surety company, bail agency, attorney, or authorized client;
- Locate, investigate, apprehend, surrender, or recover a defendant when legally authorized;
- Coordinate authorized services with courts, law-enforcement agencies, correctional facilities, clients, and properly retained personnel;
- Maintain accurate records of inquiries, communications, assignments, and services;
- Protect the safety and legal rights of ALR, its clients, its personnel, and others;
- Detect or prevent fraud, unauthorized submissions, security incidents, and misuse of the website;
- Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims;
- Enforce ALR’s agreements and policies; and
- Satisfy legal, regulatory, licensing, contractual, insurance, and recordkeeping obligations.
ALR does not use information submitted through its service-request forms for unrelated marketing, advertising, or solicitation.
4. Verification and Authorization of Assignments
ALR may receive requests for lawful location, investigation, apprehension, surrender, and recovery services from licensed bail agencies, surety companies, attorneys, or other legally authorized parties.
Before beginning apprehension or recovery activity, ALR will obtain and review the documentation reasonably required for the assignment. ALR will independently verify through an appropriate court, law-enforcement agency, or authorized jurisdictional system that an active warrant or other lawful authority exists.
After the required documentation and authority have been verified, ALR will confirm the assignment with the surety company, bail agency, attorney, or other authorized client responsible for the request before proceeding.
Submission of information through the website does not mean that ALR has accepted an assignment or agreed to provide services.
5. Disclosure of Information
ALR does not sell defendant, bond, case, investigative, assignment, or website-submission information.
ALR may disclose information when reasonably necessary to:
- ALR employees and authorized personnel who require access to perform their duties;
- The surety company, bail agency, attorney, or other authorized client responsible for the assignment;
- Properly retained recovery agents, investigators, independent contractors, and other authorized service personnel;
- Website-hosting, email, information-technology, cybersecurity, cloud-storage, and business-record providers supporting ALR’s operations;
- Courts, law-enforcement agencies, correctional facilities, regulators, licensing authorities, and other governmental entities;
- Attorneys, insurers, accountants, auditors, and other professional advisers;
- A successor organization in connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, financing, or transfer of business assets, subject to appropriate confidentiality protections;
- Parties authorized by the person or organization that provided the information; or
- Other persons or organizations when disclosure is required or permitted by applicable law.
ALR may also disclose information when it reasonably believes disclosure is necessary to comply with a subpoena, court order, warrant, or other valid legal process; prevent fraud or unlawful activity; respond to an emergency; protect safety; enforce an agreement; or establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
Before confidential assignment information is referred to an outside recovery agent or independent contractor, ALR requires appropriate authorization, written agreements, and confidentiality obligations, except when disclosure is otherwise authorized or required by law.
6. Sale or Sharing for Advertising
ALR does not sell personal information.
ALR does not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising or use information submitted through the website to build advertising audiences or prospective-client marketing lists.
7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Based on ALR’s current website practices, ALR does not use advertising cookies, analytics cookies, tracking pixels, or similar technologies to track visitors across unaffiliated websites for advertising purposes.
The website provider may use technically necessary tools or server logs required to deliver, operate, protect, and maintain the website. These technologies are used for website functionality and security rather than behavioral advertising.
If ALR later introduces analytics, advertising, or additional tracking technologies, this Privacy Policy will be updated as appropriate.
8. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
Some web browsers offer a “Do Not Track” setting. Because there is no universally accepted technical standard governing how websites must interpret every Do Not Track signal, the ALR website may not respond differently when such a signal is received.
ALR does not currently use website information for cross-site behavioral advertising or sell or share personal information in a manner requiring an advertising opt-out. ALR will recognize legally required opt-out preference signals, including Global Privacy Control, if ALR later engages in practices for which applicable law requires such recognition.
ALR does not knowingly permit unrelated third parties to collect personally identifiable information about visitors’ online activities over time and across different websites through the ALR website for behavioral advertising purposes.
9. Data Retention
ALR retains information for only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. Retention periods may depend on:
- The nature and status of the inquiry or assignment;
- Operational and business-record requirements;
- Applicable statutes of limitation;
- Contractual, insurance, licensing, and regulatory requirements;
- Court, warrant, bond, and forfeiture proceedings;
- Safety and fraud-prevention considerations; and
- The need to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
ALR may retain information for a longer period when required or permitted by law, subject to a legal hold, or reasonably necessary in connection with an active investigation, assignment, dispute, or proceeding.
10. Information Security
ALR uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect information against unauthorized access, use, alteration, destruction, or disclosure. ALR also limits access to confidential information to personnel and authorized service providers who reasonably need it for legitimate business or legal purposes.
Nevertheless, no website, internet transmission, electronic system, or storage method can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Accordingly, ALR cannot guarantee the absolute security of information transmitted through or maintained by its systems.
If an immediate or highly sensitive assignment requires particularly sensitive documentation, the requesting party should contact ALR to confirm the appropriate submission method before transmitting the information.
11. Requests to Review or Correct Information
A person or authorized organization may contact ALR to request access to or correction of information previously submitted through the website.
Requests must be sent to investigations@alrusa.com and should include sufficient information for ALR to identify the submission and verify the requester’s identity and authority. ALR may request additional information when reasonably necessary to prevent unauthorized access or disclosure.
ALR will evaluate requests in accordance with applicable law. ALR may be unable or legally prohibited from providing, changing, or deleting certain information when it concerns another person, an active assignment, confidential investigative material, safety, fraud prevention, legal obligations, privileged communications, law-enforcement activity, court records, or the establishment or defense of legal claims.
Submitting a request does not guarantee that information will be provided, corrected, or deleted when retention or confidentiality is required or permitted by law.
12. Children’s Privacy
The ALR website and services are intended for businesses, professionals, and authorized adults. They are not directed to children under 13, and ALR does not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 through the website.
If ALR learns that a child under 13 directly submitted personal information through the website without appropriate authorization, ALR will take reasonable steps to address the information as required by applicable law.
13. External Websites
The ALR website may contain links to websites operated by courts, government agencies, business partners, or other third parties. ALR does not control and is not responsible for the privacy or security practices of independently operated websites. Visitors should review the privacy policies of those websites before submitting information to them.
14. Changes to This Privacy Policy
ALR may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in its services, website practices, technology, legal obligations, or business operations.
When ALR makes changes, it will post the updated policy on this page and revise the “Last Updated” date. If a change materially affects how previously collected information is used or disclosed, ALR will provide additional notice or obtain authorization when required by applicable law.
15. Contact ALR
Questions, concerns, and privacy-related requests may be submitted to:
American Locator & Recovery
Email: investigations@alrusa.com