WENTZVILLE, Mo. — The Wentzville Police Department announced on Wednesday the installation of a network of 15 mini-cameras throughout the city with automated license plate readers(ALPR).
The cameras will provide officers with real-time data to capture the make, model, color and license plate from the rear of vehicles traveling in Wentzville. The objective is to gather actionable evidence and send alerts if a wanted or stolen vehicle has its picture taken. Within seconds every WPD officer receives a notification.
The city, which has partnered with Flock Safety, says the cameras and ALPR technology will not be used for traffic enforcement, do not take photos of vehicle occupants and cannot employ facial recognition.
The solar-powered technology will not track citizen movement. Data is stored in the cloud, deleted every 30 days on a rolling basis and not sold or shared with a third party. WPD officers, the city said, will be able to use the system for proactive and reactive crime-fighting, offering possible leads to solve cases.
While the intent is to improve safety for Wentzville’s 38,841 residents, the website Electronic Frontier Foundation contends that despite what ALPR vendors such as Flock Safety and Vigilant Solutions claim, there is no real evidence that ALPRs reduce crime.
Members of a community think that if a crime is committed, police can look at every license plate that drove past a camera around the time of a crime to compile a list of potential suspects. Problem is, EFF’s article argues, hundreds of cars can end up under suspicion.
A license surveillance system can turn any neighborhood into a gated community, casting suspicion on everyone who comes and goes. But the WPD says that its new system will not track routine vehicle movement and data will not be collected.
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