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Sheriff and vendor describe license-plate camera proposal; council asks for formal agenda item
Summary
The sheriff'9s office and Flock Safety presented a license-plate recognition system paid initially from asset-seizure funds; vendors and council debated costs, privacy controls, and long-term subscriptions and asked staff to place the proposal on a future agenda for formal consideration.
Captain Lutz presented a proposal to deploy license-plate reader (LPR) cameras in Adelanto using available asset-seizure funds, saying the initial year of installation and operation would run about $33,000 and that the program could improve recovery of stolen vehicles and support Amber- and Silver-Alert responses.
A Flock Safety representative, Kelly (S11), demonstrated the system and addressed privacy and cost questions. Kelly told the council the vendor quote actually itemized a year-one cost of $18,250 and a two-year total of $33,002.50; he said agencies typically pay an ongoing subscription thereafter. "Your agency owns the data. Flock never, and I repeat, never sells data," Kelly said, adding that data is generally automatically deleted after 30 days and that searches are logged and audited.
Funding and costs: The city manager (S6) noted about $40,000 exists in an asset-seizure fund that could cover initial expenses without tapping the general fund. Capt. Lutz said seizure funds could fund year one and the first subscription period; the council discussed an expected recurring annual subscription cost of roughly $15,000 in later years.
Use cases and limitations: Flock and the sheriff'9s office described LPRs as tools to intercept stolen vehicles, locate missing persons, and support investigations; the vendor also described AI-enabled "vehicle fingerprint" searches (make, model, color, decals) and the ability to ingest third-party cameras. Council members asked whether cameras could be placed on Caltrans infrastructure along Highway 395; staff said Caltrans locations usually require separate approvals and that Victorville and other nearby agencies already cover some gateways.
Privacy and oversight: Kelly said searches require a case number or documented search reason and offered a transparency portal to show public use of the system. Some council members expressed concern about civil-liberties implications and asked staff to confirm retention, audit controls, and limits on non-law-enforcement access.
Decision and next steps: Council directed staff to place the sheriff'9s license-plate reader proposal on the next council agenda for formal consideration and budgeting. The council did not take a final vote at the Sept. 10 meeting.
