West Covina Police Install Network Of Flock Safety License Plate Reading Cameras In Strategic Locations
WEST COVINA (CBSLA) — Police are getting an eye in the sky in the form of license plate readers installed in strategic areas around the city.
West Covina police say they have joined forces with technology startup Flock Safety in the effort to proactively address crime in the city. Flock's automated license plate reading cameras capture license plates and vehicle characteristics, not people or faces, police said.
The camera system will send alerts in real time to law enforcement when a stolen car or a known wanted felony suspect vehicle enters the jurisdiction. Vehicles associated with a missing person may also trigger an alert.
The policy for using the system will require justification for each search, and the cameras will be used to solve and reduce property and violent crime, police said. The cameras are not intended for minor traffic or parking violations, and West Covina police and Flock are pledging to never sell or share the data with third parties.
Flock Safety cameras are in current use in 1,200 cities in 40 states, and the company says they are working with more than 800 police departments.