Coconino County approves 20 fixed license-plate reader cameras for sheriff use
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Summary
The Board approved a $64,627 contract to install 20 stationary license‑plate readers (LPRs) and software, a step sheriff’s staff said will aid investigations by enabling vehicle tracking across a shared database.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors approved a contract to install 20 stationary license‑plate reader (LPR) cameras and software, awarding the agreement to Flock Group for $64,627.20.
Why it matters: County sheriff’s staff told supervisors the network will help locate suspect vehicles and link vague vehicle descriptions to license plates more quickly. Officials said the system is already integrated with a larger, regional and national database and that it helped investigators locate a vehicle tied to an armed robbery months earlier.
Sheriff’s staff described how LPRs photograph the rear of passing vehicles and capture plate numbers as well as visible, distinguishing features such as bumper stickers; searchable attributes can provide leads in cases with limited description. The vendor agreement includes installation, software and maintenance; county staff said sites were chosen strategically around the county to maximize coverage.
Supervisor questions focused on placement, safety and privacy. Supervisors asked that staff share site locations and confirmed the county would continue to follow law‑enforcement policies for data access and retention. The sheriff’s office emphasized the cameras are an investigative tool that has led to arrests and prevented further crimes in some cases.
Board action: Supervisors Horstman and Ontiveros moved and seconded the agreement; the motion carried unanimously.
Ending: County staff said site maps and placement details will be provided to the board as installation proceeds and that the system will be maintained under the vendor agreement.

