MUNCIE, Ind. — Another central Indiana police department is looking into license plate reader technology to help cut down on crime.
The city of Muncie is getting ready to roll out Flock Safety cameras on local streets, hoping to help police to more quickly solve crimes.
Getting crime under control is a big priority for Muncie Police Chief Nathan Sloan.
"The increase in crime, both locally and nationally, is what we're talking about trying to reduce, particularly violent crime. Gun crime is a huge concern for me, and I've got to get that shut down. I've got to get that stopped," Sloan said.
Thursday evening, city and police leaders came together during the Dream with Dan Forum to discuss plans to install 22 Flock Safety cameras around the city.
The cameras will take images of cars coming and going on main arteries around town, getting license plate and unique car information. Then, if a crime is reported, like a hit-and-run, police can use their evidence and information gathered to then search the images from the Flock system, solving crimes faster.
"Now we can go back to this system in real-time quickly and look for this car, see if it was in the area, in fact, what direction it might have been traveling, what time it was there, perhaps if it was traveling with another vehicle and be able to solve it that much further. Because normally, we would put out a BOL, look for this car and through human error, that might be missed," Sloan said. "These aren't going to miss that."
If you run a light, Sloan said, there's no need to worry about a ticket coming in the mail. These cameras are not intended for - and will not be used in - traffic enforcement. Instead, they'll be used to solve crimes, like burglaries or construction theft, allowing detectives to work faster and more efficiently.
A $2,500-per camera per year, the Flock Safety cameras aren't cheap, so the city is easing into the new system with a 60-day free trial, expecting to get Flock's cameras up and running in September while making sure the system works well for Muncie before investing city funds.
But with dozens of other Indiana and federal agencies already using the devices to solve crime, city leaders say they're expecting them to make a big difference here, too.
"We feel like it's worth the investment of time, and ultimately will be worth the investment in the equipment in order to improve the efficiency of our officers and improve the safety of our citizens. It's very important for us," said Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour.
Several police departments across Indiana have already invested in license plate reader technology, including IMPD, Hancock County Sheriff's Department, and departments in Zionsville, McCordsville, Noblesville and Cumberland.
Some school districts have even jumped on board, like Clark-Pleasant, who installed theirs last year. Police departments locally say they're already making a big difference.
Just a few months ago, cameras helped catch an Indianapolis man wanted for attempted murder. Before that, they helped ID a theft suspect's car on Indy's north side after landscaping gear was stolen from the Pickwick Commons neighborhood.
"(It) told us, you know, what the car looked like, the color and the make and the time, and we were able to go to the footage and, you know, get the car with the license plate. It was at the same time, and we forwarded it onto the landscaper," said Jayson Parker, president of the Pickwick Commons HOA.
The city currently has upwards of 70 cameras with plans to add more than 100 others.
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