The Morgan Hill Police Department is installing 25 fixed automated license plate reading cameras throughout town that will alert officers to stolen or wanted vehicles in real time, and help authorities identify suspects in recent crimes, according to MHPD.
The cameras will be installed for 30 to 60 days as part of a pilot program with Flock Safety, a public operating system that has worked with 1,200 cities in 40 states, says a press release from Morgan Hill Police.
The fixed cameras will be placed in strategic locations to capture the vehicle and license plate information of passing vehicles, police said. Flock Safety cameras can capture the make, model, state, color, aesthetics and the full, partial or missing license plate of any car that passes the cameras.
“The main goal of the technology is to assist officers in identifying suspects involved in crimes in the community,” says the MHPD press release. “With limited information provided to officers on scene by witnesses and victims, this tool will be utilized to identify offenders as they approach or leave the scene of the crime. This technology will also alert police officers to vehicles that are reported stolen, are tied to an Amber Alert (missing or kidnapped child), or a wanted person.”
After the pilot program, the City of Morgan Hill will hold town hall meetings to share the results with the public, answer questions and gather community input on policy and privacy concerns, says the press release.
Police noted that vehicles are used to commit seven out of 10 crimes, and Flock Safety cameras in other cities have helped reduce crime by 70%.
The City of Morgan Hill will own all the footage captured by the Flock cameras, police said. Any alerts sent to officers from the cameras will be verified through the emergency dispatch center before officers take enforcement action. The system includes audit capabilities and officers must have cause and permission to access information from the cameras.
MHPD has previously used three mobile license plate reading cameras, but those are no longer operational.
Footage captured by the Flock Safety cameras will be stored securely, and deleted automatically after 30 days, police said. The cameras will not be used in conjunction with towing or repossession companies, immigration status, unpaid fines or traffic enforcement.
