Did you know that approximately nine out of 10 crimes committed in Murrieta involve a vehicle? Locating vehicles involved in criminal cases is one of the first steps a detective or officer takes in their attempt to solve a crime and get justice for the victim or return the property to the rightful owner.
With those goals in mind, the Murrieta Police Department is excited to announce the installation of 20 automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras in strategic locations throughout the city. ALPR cameras are used by police departments throughout the country and are a proven tool to help solve and reduce crime.
The cameras are built by Flock Safety, a public safety technology company that helps neighborhoods, communities, and law enforcement work together to fight crime. These cameras help law enforcement agencies investigate crime by providing objective evidence. They capture license plates and vehicle characteristics, NOT people or faces. They are not to be mistaken for red light cameras, which are not used in the city of Murrieta.
To proactively prevent crime from occurring in Murrieta, the cameras send a real-time alert directly to our Dispatch and Officers when a stolen car or known wanted suspect vehicle from a state or national crime database enters our jurisdiction. They can also send alerts if a vehicle associated with a missing person in an AMBER or Silver Alert is detected.
As a resource multiplier, all the police chiefs and the Sheriff in our county have chosen Flock-brand ALPRs and the system of cameras, numbering almost 700 earlier this fall, has been stitched together so that each agency can share the valuable information the Flock ALPRs provide.
In the interest of transparency, the Murrieta Police Department maintains an updated policy around the use of the ALPR system which can be found on the City’s website (www.murrietaca.gov/860/Transparency). Each search requires justification, and the data is never sold or shared with third parties. These cameras will be used to solve and reduce property and violent crime and are not intended for minor traffic or parking violations.
Are you a part of an HOA or local business interested in partnering with us and Flock Safety to help maximize our crime-fighting abilities? Contact Lieutenant Jeremy Durrant at (951) 461-6317 or jdurrant@murrietaca.gov for more information.
We are committed to reducing crime, and Flock ALPRs are a new way that we can do so in partnership with our community.