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Recommendation to Provide Direction to Staff Regarding the Installation and Use of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR), including Fixed and Mobile Equipment on Alameda Police Department Vehicles. (Police 10031110) [Continued from December 7, 2021]
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To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff has developed an objective analysis of the benefits and concerns associated with the use of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) equipment and is seeking direction on whether to move forward with the installation and utilization of fixed and mobile ALPR equipment.
ALPRs are considered by agencies as a useful tool for law enforcement and are used by several law enforcement agencies to help solve crimes. However, based on available information and the manner in which solve factors are documented in cleared cases, the quantitative research to assess the ability of ALPRs to stop crime is lacking at this point in time. While it can be challenging to quantify this information because of the lack of controlled experiments, it is important to consider that ALPRs are one more investigative tool which law enforcement may utilize to identify vehicles that are involved in criminal activity and locating missing persons or other vulnerable populations.
Additionally, ALPRs can help support the Alameda Police Department's (PD) intelligence led policing initiatives. By focusing resources on specific vehicles engaged in criminal activity or missing person(s), PD would certainly increase its investigative efficacy while reducing unnecessary delays in leads. Equally as important, the use of ALPRs would minimize and mitigate the unintended consequences associated with over-policing as staff would not be relegated to antiquated policing strategies that include investigating similar vehicles as opposed to investigating the actual vehicle responsible for criminal activity.
BACKGROUND
Use of Mobile ALPRs
PD has been utilizing mobile A...
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