Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lehigh Township police authorized to apply for PLCB grant to fund license‑plate readers
Summary
The Board authorized Police Sgt. Roth to apply for a PLCB grant that would fund underage‑drinking enforcement and equipment; officers proposed vehicle‑mounted license‑plate readers with an expected match of about $6,000 per reader and four years of maintenance included.
On Feb. 10 the Lehigh Township Board of Supervisors authorized Sergeant Roth to apply for a Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) grant that would extend enforcement funding through 2028 and allow the department to seek equipment purchases including vehicle‑mounted license‑plate readers (LPRs).
Sergeant Roth told the board that the readers are useful at checkpoints by automating plate checks and that vendor pricing typically includes four years of maintenance. He estimated a local match of roughly $6,000 per reader if two readers are purchased and said the devices are hosted on a national server. Chief John Henry said LPRs helped identify a suspect vehicle in a Cherryville robbery and argued the equipment would complement — not duplicate — planned county fixed cameras because the township readers would be mobile in squad cars.
Supervisor Cindy Miller asked whether cameras purchased with PLCB funds would have to be turned over at the end of the grant; Roth said the department could retain equipment. He also confirmed readers are typically upfitted to a specific police vehicle, and training is included in the purchase price.
Supervisor Jerry Pritchard moved to authorize Sergeant Roth to move forward with applying for the PLCB grant; Janet Sheats seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
The authorization sends the grant application forward; final procurement and any local match would return for board review when specific quotes and grant award terms are available.
