License Plate Readers (LPRs) are useful for fighting crime and have been approved by the city. However, the mayor has temporarily withheld citywide funding. Meanwhile, a neighborhood in Bellevue has turned to using LPRs to fight crime in the community.
Using LPRs to Fight Crime
The residents of a Bellevue neighborhood say that using LPRs to fight crime has been successful. Another community, Haynes Park in Bordeaux, also saw similar success using the same tactic.
Some residents in Poplar Creek Estates hired “Flock,” a company that helps them get LPRs to fight crime in the neighborhood. License plate readers have been installed in each neighborhood entrance. People who drive into the community will notice a sign that says the area is under 24-hour live and recorded video surveillance.
Christine Reagan, a Bellevue resident and board member of the Homeowners Association, says it has been a deterrent. She helped install the LPRs, which cost $6,500 annually. The HOA has included them in the HOA fees.
She says it is worth the cost. The neighborhood can provide the police with access to the records if the community gets a police report. They can easily access information. However, the issue is essential for those with privacy concerns since the license plates are not kept in a database. Access to the records is limited.
How it Started
One member of the group that advocated for LPRs to fight crime said the issue started when the neighborhood faced a break-in six years prior. Since then, the residents have taken things into their own hands and installed LPRs in 2020. They have not had a break-in since then.
The police conducted a 6-month pilot program to prove that LPRs are effective and can help everyone. LPRs helped them with 112 arrests, 30 robbery charges, and 128 theft charges.
However, Mayor Freddie O’Connell has withheld citywide funding. He says he is not approving citywide funding for LPRs to fight crime without sorting through the privacy details. Nonetheless, he plans to for the following year’s budget.
According to the mayor, if the Metro Council approves their policy framework, they can start the contract process sooner. They may take forward steps next year. On the other hand, some people are frustrated by the delays. Poplar Creeks Estates and Haynes Park are some examples of LPRs working.
