Orinda City Council Considering License Plate Readers, Cameras To Reduce Crime

The Orinda City Council tonight is set to consider the possibility of installing license plate reading cameras and motion sensing technology meant to crack down on crime.

Orinda police Chief Mark Nagel is set to present the different camera options at tonight’s City Council meeting at 7 p.m. at the Orinda Library.

“We believe there’s some sort of nexus between criminal activity and the use of vehicles...so that’s what makes it a powerful tool,” the chief said of the new technological options.

The license plate reading systems consist of cameras that are either mounted on a police car or a fixed location and take still photos of a vehicle’s license plate.

The cameras are connected to a searchable database, providing police with instant information about whether the car has been reported stolen or is wanted in connection with a crime, according to the police chief.

The license plate readers each cost about $10,000 to purchase and install, plus an annual fee of $500 per camera after the first year, according to a city staff report.

Stand-alone motion activated cameras, the other option to be reviewed, are far less costly at about $650 each, in addition to the cost of a flash card and AA batteries. However, Nagel said, the motion-activated cameras, are far more labor-intensive for police.

“There are pros and cons to each one,” he said. The chief said a group of community members approached him in August about the possibility of implementing new technology to help prevent crime and apprehend suspects.

He said that while crime in Orinda is actually on a downward trend, the technological options to be considered tonight are “preventive tools” that would give police a big advantage in identifying suspects and reducing crime.

Nagel said he is also aware of criticisms that the license plate trackers and motion cameras are invasions of privacy, but noted that the city can set limits on how long police keep the photos captured.

If the City Council decides to install the license plate reading systems, it would follow a number of other cities throughout the state and the Bay Area that use them, including Lafayette, Brentwood, Richmond and Emeryville.

--Bay City News