Beloit council votes to apply for $21,857 license-plate reader grant, approves RS 3 liquor license

At its Jan. 21, 2025, meeting the Beloit City Council voted to allow the police department to apply for a Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) for license-plate readers and separately approved a new liquor license for Ryan Sanders Sports Services LLC, doing business as RS 3, at 217 Sherlyn Avenue.

The police department representative said the city was selected as one of 26 Wisconsin municipalities to receive a noncompetitive award opportunity. “The Beloit Police Department was, selected as 1 of, 26, cities in the state of Wisconsin based on its crime rates, to, get a noncompetitive, grant, for the amount of $21,857, for the license plate readers,” the speaker said. The grant would fund four license-plate readers intended to cover an entire intersection on the city’s west side and would integrate with the department’s existing license-plate system.

The presenter emphasized operational limits written into the grant and procurement: the devices would capture plate information and typically the rear of a vehicle but would not record or identify vehicle make, model, color or other distinguishing attributes. “The grant, excludes that those cameras can't identify, the vehicle's make, model, color, any distinguishing attributes such as match mask colors, bumper stickers, or dents,” the presenter said. The presenter added the system is used “mainly” to investigate violent crime and cited past instances in which license-plate data assisted rapid identification in robberies.

Councilor Forbeck, who had requested explanation of the item, asked whether the grant funded multiple readers or a single unit. “Does the grant get us for a number of readers? Is that just a singular reader or is that multiple?” Forbeck asked. The police representative replied the award would provide four readers to cover every direction at a single intersection.

The council approved the resolution allowing the police department to apply for the JAG license-plate-reader grant (Resolution 2025008). The transcript records the motion and a second and the chair calling for ayes; the motion passed. The transcript does not provide a roll-call tally in names or numeric counts.

Separately, the council approved Resolution 2025010 to issue a new Class B fermented malt beverage and Class B intoxicating liquor license for Ryan Sanders Sports Services LLC, doing business as RS 3, at 217 Sherlyn Avenue. The applicant or representatives were in the room; the clerk noted that the previous license had been relinquished and the council took the motion, second and a voice vote to approve the new license.

Both approvals were routine agenda items and drew limited discussion. No public-comment speakers were registered for the meeting and the overall session lasted about 13 minutes.