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Commission approves six‑week trial of license‑plate readers; privacy and cost questions flagged
Summary
San Juan County approved a six‑week trial of Flock license‑plate readers to assist with stolen-vehicle searches, AMBER alerts and missing‑person investigations. The sheriff said the system has helped in multi‑jurisdictional homicide investigations; commissioners asked for legal review and noted an annual contract could cost tens of thousands if adopted long term.
Sheriff Lacy requested a six‑week trial of Flock license‑plate readers (LPRs) to test locations in San Juan County for use in stolen‑vehicle alerts, Amber Alerts and missing‑person searches. The commission approved a six‑week trial by voice vote during the May 19 meeting.
The sheriff described how LPR data contributed to tracking suspects across state lines in a recent triple homicide, which commissioners said illustrated the operational value of networked LPR systems. Sheriff Lacy told the board the trial would incur zero upfront cost; if the county later opted into a multi‑year deployment, the vendor’s package for 10 cameras would cost around $33,000 per year, with fewer cameras reducing the price.
Commissioners acknowledged privacy concerns and asked the county attorney to advise on legal, policy and log‑retention issues before any longer‑term commitment. Several commissioners said the technology could help locate missing people and track vehicles involved in crimes, while also asking staff to balance costs and community expectations.
Next steps: the commission approved the six‑week demonstration and directed staff and legal counsel to work out logistics, placement, cost estimates and privacy safeguards before any contract award.
