Huntington Park police brief council on automated license-plate reader system, data controls and uses

Sergeant Mike Parsa of the Huntington Park Police Department presented an overview of the city's automated license-plate reader system during a council study session, explaining how images are captured, converted into plate data and checked against 'hot lists' for stolen vehicles, wanted persons and other alerts.

Parsa told the mayor and council that the system combines 19 fixed cameras at 17 locations and mobile cameras on patrol and six parking-enforcement vehicles, and that much of the equipment was paid for with a state Homeland Security grant. "These cameras capture images of license plates, and then through software those images are converted into plate data," he said. The department uses hot lists supplied by federal and local agencies to flag vehicles of interest.

Why it matters: Council members pressed the department on data sharing, retention and operational use because…