Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Lpr topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Nelson County Sheriff's Office wins $12,500 HEAT grant to buy three license‑plate cameras
Summary
Sheriff Mark Embrey told the Board his office was awarded $12,500 from the Virginia State Police HEAT program to buy three Flock Safety license‑plate readers for strategic placement along Route 29 and River Road; the two‑year program would cost $11,000 in year two if not renewed by grant.
Sheriff Mark Embrey told the Nelson County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 18 that the Sheriff’s Office received a $12,500 grant through the Virginia State Police’s Help Eliminate Auto Theft (HEAT) program to purchase three Flock Safety license‑plate reader (LPR) cameras.
Embrey said the plan is to place two cameras on the Route 29 corridor (one at the Albemarle County line) and a third on River Road (Route 6) to capture vehicles entering Nelson County. The cameras scan license plates in real time and can flag plates entered as stolen; officers receive near‑instant notifications with vehicle photos. “They detect if that vehicle’s license plate has been entered as stolen, then that information automatically goes to the Sheriff’s Office and the deputy's terminal,” Embrey said.
He said the $12,500 covers the first year under a two‑year contract; if the office cannot secure a second‑year grant, the annual cost would be $11,000. Embrey said the program would not require county funding for the initial year and that he would advise the Board in writing whether year‑two funding is awarded through the HEAT program. He also said he will monitor pending legislation in the General Assembly concerning LPR data retention and privacy and consult with the Commonwealth’s Attorney before committing to purchase.
Board members asked operational questions including who monitors the database (Embrey said the information flows via VCIN and CIC through the Virginia State Police) and typical notification timelines (about 30 seconds). The Board did not vote on any funding; the Sheriff said there was no fiscal request to the county for year one.
