• Support
  • Advertise
  • Locations
  • Contact
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTERS
San Clemente Times
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • Money Matters
    • Best of San Clemente
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Triton Football Preview
    • Go See Do
    • The Green Issue
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • Money Matters
    • Best of San Clemente
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Triton Football Preview
    • Go See Do
    • The Green Issue
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
No Result
View All Result
San Clemente Times
No Result
View All Result

Installation of Automated License Plate Readers on City’s Docket

Staff by Staff
September 19, 2022 5:00AM
in EYE ON SC, News Headlines
CoastLines: A Slice of Life: The Police Blotter

A police car's lights shine bright in the night. Photo: Chelsie Rex

0
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By C. Jayden Smith

Although the City of San Clemente may appear to trail other Orange County cities in utilizing additional technology to aid its law enforcement, the city is progressing towards installing such devices.

City staff confirmed that they are working to install 15 Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR), as part of a decision package that was included in the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 budget that the City Council adopted on June 15, 2021.

ALPRs convert data associated with vehicle license plates for purposes such as identifying stolen or wanted vehicles or plates, and can gather information related to active warrants and stolen property recovery, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Usage and Privacy Policy.

Once installed, San Clemente would join the list of OC municipalities using the technology such as Dana Point, where its City Council approved a contract for the installation and maintenance of ALPRs on May 17, and Los Alamitos, which started installing the devices on Feb. 2.

More than 20 cities’ police departments use ALPRs provided by either Vigilant Solutions or Flock Safety, according to a University of Nevada, Reno database.

The city’s FY 2022 budget appropriated $41,250 for the implementation of ALPR system, which had come to the City Council at the Public Safety Committee’s recommendation. Though the initiative is still in progress, the city wrote in an email to San Clemente Times that there hasn’t been a delay.

Councilmember Laura Ferguson referred to her own recent experiences with the devices, in that her own neighborhood in Talega also installed ALPRs more than a year ago after a rash of reported vehicle thefts, mail thefts, and numerous kinds of personal belongings were stolen from cars in the area.

The technology can be a deterrent to preventing crime and provides enhanced protection to communities, according to Ferguson.

“I think they’re very effective, and they don’t spy on people,” she said. “They’re not taking images of people, in their houses, etc.; they’re taking images of, specifically, license plates and vehicle details.”

Mayor Pro Tem Chris Duncan said he has heard anecdotally that ALPRs have increased the identification of stolen vehicles, and that he thinks the devices will be a benefit to San Clemente.

“I would say that I worked with these cameras at U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the border, because they’re used there to identify vehicles going in and out of the country,” he said. “They’ve been very, very effective in helping law enforcement identify those vehicles and track kidnapped children and other people that are being trafficked.”

Duncan added that he doesn’t think ALPRs intrude on privacy because they only capture license plates’ letters and numbers.

Additionally, OCSD’s usage policy restricts the operation of ALPRs to only be used for official law enforcement business, such as any routine patrol operation or criminal investigation. It also requires staff to complete OCSD-approved training before operating the equipment or accessing data, and limits an operator to only access OCSD, state, or federal data if authorized.

“It is the intent of the Department to ensure that the access and use of ALPR data is consistent with respect for individuals’ privacy and civil liberties,” the policy states.

San Clemente Police Services, OCSD staff, and city engineering staff have all been involved in the installation process, according to the city. The city did not name the contracted service provider, but confirmed it is working with staff to determine which locations the ALPRs should be installed.

Ferguson stated she would like to see the city expedite the installation process, and while Duncan said the ALPRs should be installed as soon as practically possible, he declined to call the matter urgent.

Mayor Gene James and Councilmember Steve Knoblock could not be reached for this article, and Councilmember Kathy Ward declined to comment.

C. Jayden Smith

C. Jayden Smith graduated from Dana Hills High in 2018 before pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in digital and broadcast journalism from the University of North Texas. After graduating in December 2020, he reported for the Salina Journal in Salina, Kansas. Jayden loves college football and bothering his black lab named Shadow.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Tags: Automated License Plate ReadersChris DuncanCity CouncilFeaturedLaura FergusonLaw EnforcementLicense Plate ReadersOrange CountyOrange County Sheriff’s DepartmentPublic SafetyPublic Safety CommitteePublic Safety TechnologySan ClementeSurveillance
ShareTweetPin
Staff

Staff

Related Posts

Local Boy Scout Helps Give Senior Center a Facelift

Local Boy Scout Helps Give Senior Center a Facelift

February 1, 2023
Surfrider, Pottery Barn Teen Inspire Sustainability with Décor Collection

Surfrider, Pottery Barn Teen Inspire Sustainability with Décor Collection

January 31, 2023
MURF

Local Electric Bike Company Anticipates Year of Growth with Its New Partnership

January 30, 2023
San Clemente Girls Soccer Finishes Early, Moves into First Place with Shutout of San Juan Hills

San Clemente Girls Soccer Finishes Early, Moves into First Place with Shutout of San Juan Hills

January 28, 2023
Next Post
City Council Hopefuls Answer Pressing Questions in First Candidate Forum

City Council Hopefuls Answer Pressing Questions in First Candidate Forum

Discussion about this post

No Result
View All Result

SC Times Daily
Get important news and updates delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Subscriptions
Don’t get the SC Times delivered to your home? Subscribe today.

Advertising
Get new customers and drive traffic to your business. Advertise with us.

Support Local Journalism
For less than the cost of a couple of cups of coffee a month, become an “Insider” member and continue to get “Local News You Can Use” from the only independently owned, dedicated local news organization in South Orange County.

Contribute today.

Picket Fence Media is a proud member of the SoCal Media Network.

  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Dana Point Times
  • The Capistrano Dispatch
  • Terms of Use
  • About Us

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • Money Matters
    • Best of San Clemente
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Triton Football Preview
    • Go See Do
    • The Green Issue
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who

© 2023 Picket Fence Media