Commission debates license‑plate readers as police test LPR camera on West Hallandale Beach Boulevard

Pembroke Park police described a live test of a license‑plate‑reader (LPR) system on West Hallandale Beach Boulevard and said the equipment has produced leads in recent e‑bike theft investigations. Dan DeCourcy of the police department told the commission the LPR is “a license plate reader system that we are currently testing to see [its] suitability for the town,” and said officers are following up on vehicles seen leaving locations associated with reported thefts.

Several commissioners expressed concern about privacy and potential misuse of LPR data. One commissioner described LPRs as a government overreach and said the town should be cautious because digital data can persist beyond stated retention windows; that speaker urged state legislative action to restrict LPR use. The police noted access to LPR data is governed by criminal justice information system (CJIS) controls and that authorized users are CJIS‑compliant; officers said misuse by certified users would be a felony under state law.

Other commissioners spoke to the public‑safety value of automated systems, noting cameras can assist policing at times and places where staff patrols are limited. The transcript records no formal policy decision; the equipment was identified as a test, and the commission did not vote to adopt a permanent program in the recorded discussion. The chief and police staff said they would report back with harvested data following the test period.

Commissioners asked about the test period and data retention. The police said they planned approximately a 30‑day test window to determine whether the system helps solve cases and to evaluate its usefulness for the town.