Council approves grant applications for license‑plate‑reader and covert mobile cameras

City staff presented two related grant actions seeking council resolutions to submit applications and provide matching funds if required. For the Project Safe Neighborhood block camera system, staff (recorded as Mr. Zto) described the network as license‑plate‑reader cameras to help detect vehicles associated with warrants or criminal activity and said 24 cameras are currently in the field under a subscription model; the grant would fund the next year of the subscription service. Mr. Zto said the platform could assist investigations by allowing officers to follow vehicles across jurisdictions and noted the vendor/technology context used widely in other cities.

Council approved the project‑safe‑neighborhood resolution and a related amendment designating a financial officer authorized to submit financial and programmatic reports or to execute administrative changes as required by the grantor. The council also approved a separate application for a mobile covert camera project to support narcotics and detective operations; staff said the same financial-officer amendment applied.

Why it matters: License‑plate‑reader networks and covert mobile cameras are operational tools that city law enforcement uses to investigate crime, but they raise questions about ongoing subscription costs, inter‑jurisdictional use, and privacy policy; council authorized the grant submissions and the staff‑level financial authorization needed to manage awards.

What happens next: Staff will submit the grant applications, and if awarded will return with contract documents and any required budget appropriation for subscription costs.