DATE OF RELEASE: Friday, August 20, 2021
The West Covina Police Department has partnered with technology startup Flock Safety, which brings together communities and law enforcement to reduce crime, protect privacy, and mitigate bias. West Covina PD has installed Flock Safety automated license plate reading (ALPR) cameras in strategic areas around the city in the pursuit of proactively addressing crime in the city.
Flock Safety ALPR cameras help law enforcement investigate crime by providing objective evidence. They capture license plates and vehicle characteristics, not people or faces.
To proactively prevent crime from occurring in West Covina, the cameras will send a real-time alert to law enforcement when a stolen car or known wanted felony suspect vehicle from a state or national crime database enters the jurisdiction. They can also send real-time alerts if a vehicle associated with a missing person in an AMBER or Silver Alert is detected.
Flock Safety cameras are in use in over 1,200 cities across 40 states, and the company works with over 800 police departments. They have been shown to reduce crime by up to 70%.
The West Covina Police Department will maintain an updated policy around usage of the ALPR system. Each search requires a justification, and the data is never sold or shared with third parties. The cameras will be used to solve and reduce property and violent crime, and are not intended for minor traffic or parking violations.
“At Flock Safety, we believe in objective, ethical policing,” said Garrett Langley, CEO of Flock Safety. “We have the privilege of working with law enforcement agencies and neighborhoods across the country who know that the path to a safe community is through strong bonds between police departments and the citizens they pledge to protect, and we are honored to partner with West Covina PD.”
The Flock Safety cameras can also be purchased by stores, shopping centers, as well as homeowner’s associations within the city to help provide further protection to the community. For inquiries regarding the purchasing of Flock cameras to add to the West Covina system, please email [email protected]
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Information released by:
West Covina Police Department
Community Relations Officer Alexus Napoles
1444 West Garvey Avenue South
West Covina, CA 91790
626 939-8500
Web: www.wcpd.org
Twitter: www.twitter.com/WestCovinaPD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WestCovinaPD
Instagram: www.instagram.com/WestCovinaPD
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