To help sheriff’s deputies combat crime and track the movement of suspects inside city limits, the La Cañada Flintridge City Council approved Tuesday spending $78,800 to install 37 automated license plate reader cameras at key locations in town. Assistant City Manager Carl Alameda explained the fixed-position cameras would be placed at various intersections and entrances into the city, where they would capture still images of up to two unidirectional lanes of traffic and catalog the license plate data of passing vehicles. The solar-powered devices would also be able to read temporary paper license plates and generate real-time alerts to the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station regarding plate numbers associated with illegal activity, including stolen vehicles and license plates, Amber alerts and outstanding warrants. Images of vehicles with no license plates or numbers obstructed from view would also be sent to the station. “Suddenly there are 37 cameras looking for bad guys 24 hours a day, and those deputies on duty then have 37 sets of eyes,” Brown said.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 06, 2020 01:41 UTC