Council awards contracts for UTVs and a license-plate reader/drone program; police say tools will aid patrols and investigations
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Summary
The council approved purchases including two Polaris UTVs for public-safety use and a broader license-plate reader (ALPR) and drone component bundled with vendor services; proponents said the equipment improves operational access and investigative capability while privacy advocates in public comment raised surveillance concerns.
The Hoboken City Council approved multiple public-safety procurements on Thursday, including a $67,863.39 purchase for two Polaris UTVs and a separate contract that covers a license-plate reader (ALPR) program and a drone component intended to aid investigations and command operations.
The police department requested the vehicles to provide mobility and high-visibility patrol capability in spaces not easily served by patrol cars, including parks and event sites. "These are smaller vehicles that get us to and from smaller spaces within the city," the police representative told the council; the award went to Ledgewood Powersports Inc. for two Polaris UTV vehicles in the amount read into the record: $67,863.39, funded by bond B679.
Another item approved covers an automated license-plate reader and drone capability under a vendor contract (vendor discussed in the meeting as Axon). Police said ALPR cameras at ingress and egress points would help identify hot-listed vehicles and speed investigations, that data is stored on a CJIS-compliant cloud and access is limited to legitimate law-enforcement purposes. The department characterized the ALPR program as a proven investigative tool used by many municipalities.
Public comment included opponents who voiced privacy and civil-liberties concerns, saying camera systems "continuously record people's movements" and can be used to map citizens' movements. The city and police representatives responded that the data is restricted to law-enforcement use and subject to audit and state CJIS controls. "Any potential hot-listed vehicle that's used in the state... will give our officers an alert," police said, adding the system is integrated with state networks for interagency hits.
Council members noted the sensitivity of camera and drone technologies and asked for information about retention, audit controls and compliance with state rules. The police representative said data access is limited, audited multiple times a year and that the license-plate reader network participates in state systems that allow cross-jurisdictional investigative hits.
Both procurement resolutions passed on roll-call votes. Council members who had urged more vendor transparency said they will watch implementation and requested periodic briefings on data governance and privacy safeguards.