Is automated license plate recognition (ALPR) a good fit for Malibu? I was the only no vote out of four Public Safety Commissioners when it was presented to the Commission for forwarding to the City Council. Here’s why I think our money should be spent elsewhere on public safety issues unique to Malibu:
As I understand the technology, it does not read the license plate in front of the sheriff’s car, just the ones on either side. The sheriff still has to call in the one in front. Catching criminals is a very important tool in other cities where it has had success, such as Compton and Bellflower, with actual documented crime. We have little crime, and I doubt we have a constant parade of these criminals driving through our city.
This technology would help our sheriffs catch about seven in every 500 cars that run red lights within the city. Ridiculous! I am sure we can do better than that with a pen and paper in our own cars every day reporting the scofflaws to our own STTOP program. The staff report says that will cost about $160,000 for two cars and two permanent tech locations which I believe is money better spent on another officer, a substation or some other means of educating the public on speeding, bicycle safety and distracted driving.
Like all technology, this will probably be outdated in a couple of years, replaced by something that can actually read the license plate in the front of the sheriff’s car. Perhaps since the highway belongs to Caltrans, they should buy this technology for us. Let the City Council know how you feel before they decide.
Susan Tellem