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Council approves license‑plate‑reader camera system for police; chief calls it an investigative force multiplier
Summary
The council authorized purchase and subscription for a six‑camera license‑plate‑reading system; police chief said the system supports investigations and AMBER/silver/stolen‑vehicle alerts, and officers will audit and limit use to criminal investigations.
The council approved a contract June 23 for a Flock‑style license‑plate‑reading camera system after Chief Moynihan described the technology and its use cases.
Moynihan said the cameras capture rear vehicle images and license plates, compare plates against national/state hot lists (amber alerts, stolen vehicles) and store 30 days of plate reads (longer if an investigation requires preservation). He emphasized the system is not a traffic‑enforcement camera and that department policy requires queries be tied to a criminal investigation; the system maintains an audit trail of queries and access.
Councilors asked about privacy protections, data storage (the service uses a cloud provider), how long data are kept (30 days unless preserved for an investigation) and replacement/service terms; Moynihan said the contract’s subscription includes camera warranty/replacement and the vendor supports maintenance for the life of the service agreement. Councilors also asked for a one‑year review of use, costs and effectiveness; Moynihan said the department would return with usage statistics and audit logs as part of ongoing oversight.
The council approved the initial purchase and the annual subscription plan. The motion carried by voice vote; no roll‑call tally was provided.
