close
close

Piqueettrinque

Randall County approves agreement to read license plates

Randall County approves agreement to read license plates

•

bisto

Randall County Commissioners have approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Flock Group, Inc. that will bring a network of license plate readers (LPRs) to the county, providing local law enforcement with improved tools for tracking vehicles involved in crimes. The LPR system, provided by Flock Safety, is designed to help officers quickly identify and locate suspects, aiding investigations into car thefts, burglaries and other crimes.

Officials approved the memorandum of understanding during Tuesday’s regular meeting of Randall County Commissioners Court.

The system will initially include 14 LPR cameras, strategically located on the main roads and entry points in the county. Funded by a recent grant to the Auto Burglary Unit, the system will be part of a larger initiative to improve public safety in Randall County.

“We’ve already seen how effective this technology can be,” said Randall County Sheriff Christopher Forbis. “The Amarillo Police Department has successfully used the system to track vehicles involved in serious crimes. It allows us to react faster and more efficiently.”

How the system works

The Flock system uses high-resolution cameras that capture and store images of license plates as vehicles pass by. These images are stored for 30 days on secure, encrypted servers managed by Amazon Web Services (AWS). If a crime occurs, officers can enter the vehicle’s details into the system, allowing them to see where the car has been detected within the network of cameras.

The data is purged after 30 days, ensuring that the information is only available for a limited time and is used strictly for investigative purposes. Sheriff Forbis emphasized that access to the system is strictly controlled, with policies in place to ensure data is only used when related to valid investigations.

“We have implemented strong safeguards to ensure that the system is used appropriately,” Forbis said. “Only authorized personnel with an incident report or case number can access the information, and supervisors will periodically audit searches to ensure compliance.”

Success stories and privacy concerns

The effectiveness of the LPR system has already been demonstrated in nearby areas. Forbis cited a recent case where LPR cameras helped officers recover a runaway teenager by identifying the car he was in, allowing law enforcement to bring him home safely. In another incident, the system was used to track a vehicle involved in a shooting in the Amarillo area.

Despite these successes, some community members have expressed concerns about privacy. Commissioner Eric Barry raised questions during the meeting about the potential misuse of data, particularly in relation to the storage and sharing of information.

“Privacy is a major concern for many residents we’ve heard from in Randall County,” Barry said. “I think given the way data and access is maintained, there’s more benefit than concern about how it’s going to be used.”

Cameron Lewis, Flock Safety’s territory manager for West Texas, assured commissioners that privacy is a top priority. He explained that the data is stored on highly secure servers and is never sold or shared with third parties. Additionally, Flock has no access to the data – control rests solely with the sheriff’s office.

Randall County Judge Christy Dyer addressed the issue of privacy, assuring the public that the technology is already widespread in other forms. “It gives our law enforcement more tools and the ability to react more quickly in a crime event. I know a lot of people are hesitant about privacy, but this technology is already available in much worse ways than this. because it invades your privacy and we access information, this system only allows us to catch up.”

“Our system is law enforcement specific,” Lewis said. “Only authorized personnel can access the data, and it is deleted after 30 days. We take privacy very seriously and ensure the highest level of security for all information.”

Trial period and costs

The LPR cameras will be installed in coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), which is responsible for overseeing the permitting process. The system will operate for a 12-month trial period, during which time Randall County will evaluate its effectiveness.

The first year is funded by a grant from the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority (MVC). After the trial period, if the county chooses to discontinue the system, it will be required to cover 20 percent of the costs, with each room costing about $3,000.

“We have the flexibility to terminate the agreement if we find it is not beneficial,” Forbis said. “But based on what we’ve seen so far, I’m optimistic that this system will be a valuable tool for our department.”

Commissioners unanimously approved both the MOU with Flock Group and a related resolution with TxDOT authorizing the installation of the cameras. They expressed hope that the LPR system would enhance public safety by giving officers a powerful tool to more quickly track down and apprehend suspects.

“This technology could save lives,” Forbis said. “It’s an important step forward for Randall County law enforcement and gives us an edge in solving crimes faster while respecting the privacy of our residents.”

•

Recent Posts

Social Media

Advertisement