In early 2016, the four peninsula cities, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills Estates, Rolling Hills, and Palos Verdes Estates, collaborated to jointly purchase 45 Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras. In response to sharp increases in property crimes over the previous two years, the cities worked together to add this technology based crime fighting tool as one of several strategies to address the upward trend.
An agreement was reached with Vigilant Solutions of Livermore, California, for the project. Members of the Sheriff Department’s Advanced Surveillance and Protection Unit (ASAP) provided technical support throughout the project. The ASAP Unit is comprised of highly skilled personnel with technical and law enforcement expertise, who assist our cities with such undertakings. Their staff provided valuable assistance in integrating the system with our law enforcement data networks. The unit is also playing an integral role in proposed video surveillance projects for the city of Rancho Palos Verdes.
Installations of the ALPR cameras at strategic locations throughout the peninsula began last summer and are nearly complete. The license plate scanners read the plates of passing vehicles in all lanes at each location. Our law enforcement dispatch centers receive an immediate alert of any reported stolen vehicle passing through, as well as vehicles listed as “wanted” in connection with crimes, missing persons, arrest warrants associated with a vehicle, and stolen license plates. Detectives also have access to the database of license plates to assist them in a myriad of criminal investigations. Access to the information by investigators is on a need to know basis and policies are in place to ensure the information is accessed only for criminal investigations.
Since the first installed cameras became operational on August 25, 2016, Lomita Sheriff’s deputies have been very successful in utilizing the system to locate and arrest car thieves, as well as solve other crimes. To date, the number of plates scanned is in the millions. Lomita Station deputies have responded to 18 stolen vehicle alerts, of which they located 12 of the stolen vehicles and arrested 15 occupants. In addition, there have been 3 arrests for warrants, 1 vehicle associated with a robbery from another agency stopped, and 1 missing person located. Our investigators have successfully utilized the database to solve 3 burglaries, 2 unrelated stolen vehicle investigations, and multiple arrests were made related to a large shoplifting ring.
These successes would not have been possible without the strong support of each our city councils. They have made a statement on behalf of their constituents and law enforcement, that crime on the peninsula will not be tolerated, and those who chose to victimize our communities will be caught!
Lomita Sheriff’s Station provides law enforcement services to the cities of Lomita, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, and unincorporated communities in San Pedro and the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
You can partner to prevent or report crime by contacting Lomita Sheriff’s Station at (310) 539-1661 to report suspicious activity. Or if you wish to remain anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), or text the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637,) or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
To receive detailed, up-to-date information directly from the LASD via e-mail, register for “Nixle” alerts at www.Nixle.com and register for “LASD-HQ Newsroom (SHB,) Los Angeles County Sheriff,” and also register for your local LASD Station area. Or text your zip code to 888777 to receive text alerts only. Standard text messaging rates may apply.
Captain Dan Beringer
Lomita Sheriff’s Station
www.lomita.lasd.org
