California Police Chief- Fall 2013 CPCA_2019_Spring Magazine- FINAL | Page 30

Utilizing Automated License
Plate Reader Technology
to Enhance Community Partnerships
M
ore and more police departments are utilizing automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology as a critical tool to solve
a variety of crimes in their respective jurisdictions. Detectives and analysts have developed ALPR analysis into an essential
investigative tool they can use to identify and track suspects prior to, during the commission of, and as they flee from their
crimes. Numerous examples exist where ALPR technology has helped facilitate crime scene analysis by allowing law enforcement
to gather information about vehicles in the area, identify suspects by generating leads, and prepare for interrogations by giving law
enforcement the knowledge of a vehicle’s approximate location at the time of a crime. Advancements in ALPR technology, coupled
with a reduction in expenses associated with these types of surveillance cameras, have ultimately made this technology more
affordable. With these benefits, the Redlands Police Department (RPD) is now utilizing the equipment to enhance community policing
within the City and provide neighborhoods and business complexes a tool to help keep their communities safe and secure.
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