Selma police present Flock Safety license-plate-reader option; proposes Measure S spending for equipment

The Selma Police Department and Flock Safety presented license-plate readers and related equipment to the Selma City Council on April 22 and asked the council to consider using Measure S funds for an initial deployment and related purchases.

Caroline Frere, territory sales manager for Flock Safety, told the council the company’s mission is "to eliminate crime," and described Flock’s solar-powered, LTE license-plate readers and real-time alerting system. "We share the same mission as the cities we partner with really to make communities safer," Frere said. She described the product suite, privacy controls and a free transparency portal the vendor offers for public-facing information.

Police Chief Alcarez outlined equipment requests the department identified for Measure S funding: a multi-site LPR deployment, replacement tasers amortized over five years and additional patrol vehicles. The chief said current tasers are beyond their service life and are being repaired with refurbished parts from the manufacturer, and he proposed a five-year lease-purchase for replacement units. He also described a vehicle acquisition approach that would seek local dealers consistent with prior council direction about local preference. "Our current taser equipment is at 10 years plus. It's beyond its industrial life expectancy," the chief told council members.

Flock staff described pricing during the public presentation: Flock quoted $3,000 per camera per year for a two-lane LPR and $5,000 per camera per year for a three-lane model; one-time installation costs vary from about $150 (using existing poles) to $1,900 for advanced installs on Caltrans infrastructure. The vendor cited case studies from nearby cities reporting reductions in stolen vehicles and faster suspect identification.

The presentation prompted council questions about likely camera locations, a recommended initial deployment size (Chief Alcarez said the department recommended roughly 20 cameras to start) and the technology’s compatibility with existing patrol hardware. Chief Alcarez said the department has upgraded mobile data terminals and anticipates officers accessing LPR alerts in-vehicle or through dispatch. "If we get a hundred cameras, that'd be great. But the reality is, fiscal constraints are what they are. We were recommending 20 to start with, to get a good base," he said.

Public commenters asked about privacy, range and contract termination terms; Flock said cameras capture the rear of vehicles only, do not perform facial recognition and that agencies control data sharing. The council did not take action on the presentation; staff said the item was informational and would return with details and a proposed contract later if the council wishes to proceed.

The police department also described related Measure S requests for taser replacements (estimated at roughly $36,000 over five years, as part of a lease-purchase) and a possible vehicle lease program. Council members emphasized local-vendor preference in procurement and asked staff to return with site recommendations, contract terms and a proposed funding plan.