Too, “Big brother is watching,” or is it time to consider this?
Flock Safety says its license plate readers reduce crime. The system uses a proprietary algorithm to identify a license plate, vehicle make, type and color.
After being suspended a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Libertyville police have rebooted the process to install a license plate reader system.
Village officials recently approved an agreement with Atlanta-based Flock Safety to place cameras at five locations for a 60-day pilot period.
“It’s in the permitting process with the Illinois Department of Transportation,” said police Chief Ed Roncone, adding that it will be two to three months before the system is up and running.
The readers serve legitimate purposes, such as alerting police to the location of a car associated with a criminal investigation, Roncone said.
“It’s just another tool we’re using to locate missing people, solve crimes” and make the community safer, he said.
Libertyville will join a handful of other suburban departments, including Vernon Hills’ and Elmhurst’s, in using the fixed camera technology as a crime-fighting tool.
Illinois State Police also have begun installing license plate readers on Cook County expressways to try to solve roadway shootings. The agency plans to install about 300 cameras.
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