Crime & Safety

Newark Police Upgrade License Plate Scanning System

Local law enforcement officials are enthusiastic about a new system that will replace fading gear.

Newark Police got the greenlight from City Council on Thursday to spend about $36k on a new license plate recognition system.

The system will include three cameras, according to Commander Michael Carroll.  It will replace the gear purchased in 2009 from a company called Plate Scan, Carroll said. The company went out of business in 2011, requiring law enforcement to patch the system together when it broke.

“We had not anticipated replacing it that rapidly,” Carroll said. Newark Police investigators found a request for proposals for a 3M system.

“We were like, ok, that’s a big company, they wont go out of business on us,” he said.

Newark City Council unanimously voted to approve funding to acquire the system on Nov. 14. The 3M Automated License Plate Recognition System will scan license plates and wirelessly transmit the images to an server in San Mateo, California where the data will be housed at no cost to the city. The cameras are expected to last 5-7 years with 24/7 use. 

The Newark Police Department will retain any data compiled for a year, according to Carroll. 

John Henneberry, Newark resident, said the entire system is a “waste of money.”

“The privacy cost is way too high for something like that,” Henneberry said. “It can be used to track movements of law abiding citizens. Do we want to live like this? I don’t think people do,” he said.

Officer Matt Warren said he has used the devices on his patrols and is a fan. He said the system would help law enforcement officials find stolen cars, wanted felons, and kidnapping victims. 

“Say there’s a kidnapping victim out of L.A. They have a plate and put it in the system. We happen to drive by the plate in Newark; it’ll show up as a wanted plate and what it’s wanted for,” Warren said. “We can take appropriate action,” he said.

The price tag on the new gear is $36,281.62, according to public records. 

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