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Sheriff proposes license-plate cameras countywide; committee asks finance to identify funding for full 14-camera plan
Summary
The sheriff's office presented a proposal for license-plate reader cameras (LPR) covering Bedford County. The committee asked finance staff to research funding options and return next month with a recommendation, with a preference expressed for the full 14-camera configuration.
The sheriff's office presented a proposal to deploy license-plate recognition cameras on county roadways and asked the committee to consider funding either an eight-camera starter set or a 14-camera countywide configuration.
A sheriff's office representative (name not specified) described the system's public-safety uses, including assisting with Amber and Silver Alerts and crime investigations, and said the cameras provide access to a national network of camera data. "These are essentially cameras, along the roadways throughout the county that have LPR technology," the representative said, noting prior mutual-aid uses with neighboring counties had helped locate a missing resident.
Costs discussed: the vendor's pricing presented at the meeting showed roughly $3,000 per camera per year in recurring fees. The packet included two configuration options: an eight-camera option with an initial first-year subtotal reported as about $27,090 and an annual recurring cost of roughly $24,000; and a 14-camera option with a first-year subtotal near $47,090 and an annual recurring cost near $42,000. The vendor also offered a 60-day pilot in which 14 cameras would be installed and six could be removed after the trial if the county chose the smaller configuration.
Committee members raised operational questions (coverage across districts, camera siting coordination with the city of Shelbyville and neighboring counties, and equipment lifespan). The sheriff's representative said the vendor retains ownership of the equipment and the county would own the data; equipment repairs and replacement are the vendor's responsibility.
The committee voted to ask Robert (finance staff) to review potential funding mechanisms (including whether a one-time capital appropriation could cover initial setup) and return next month with a recommended path, with committee members expressing a preference to pursue the full 14-camera configuration if funding can be identified.
The committee did not authorize procurement at this meeting; the vote directs staff to report funding options to the committee for possible referral to the county commission.
