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Fountain police report early results from license-plate reader network; full deployment expected by April
Summary
Chief reported 20 of 26 license-plate reader cameras are live, with full deployment anticipated by April; department said the system helped recover eight stolen vehicles and led to five arrests since February.
Fountain’s police chief told the City Council on March 11 that the department has activated 20 of 26 license-plate reader cameras and expects the full 26-camera network to be online by April, subject to permitting and right-of-way approvals.
The chief said the system is being used for criminal investigations and is not traffic-enforcement technology: it captures license plates and helps officers locate vehicles linked to crimes, such as bank robberies or stolen-car cases. The department reported eight stolen vehicles recovered and five arrests connected to those recoveries since February, and described the network’s data-sharing links with Colorado Springs and El Paso County.
Police also announced two new lateral hires and the promotion of Lieutenant Matt Sanchez, formerly a sergeant with the school resource officer program. The chief said the camera network is privacy-focused and that officers are using it only to identify criminal activity.
Council members asked about timing and the chief said permitting and private-easement issues remain; he estimated full deployment by April but called that a conservative estimate.
