Automated License Plate Readers Successful in Identifying Suspect Vehicles

from Concord Fall 2023 City News and Activity Guide

Registration Form: Fall 2023

In August 2022 the City Council authorized the purchase and installation of Flock Safety Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras to be placed at strategic locations throughout the city. These cameras, which are commonly used throughout the Bay Area and California, read and record license plates as cars pass by and compare them to a database of vehicles flagged as stolen, used in a crime, or belonging to missing persons.

This information acts as a service multiplier for the Concord Police Department, allowing officers to proactively find vehicles in real time, as well as serving as an investigative tool to help solve crimes.

To date, the City has installed more than 50 Flock cameras on City property. Community partners, such as Park ‘N Shop, Sunvalley Shopping Center, and private homeowners, have purchased and installed their own for increased capacity.

Almost immediately after going live with the system, Concord police investigators entered the license plate of a vehicle that was associated with a recent felony organized retail theft. Within a matter of hours, the Flock system located the vehicle entering a retail parking lot and alerted officers, who arrested the driver for felony warrants associated with theft.

The Flock database has also been used repeatedly to help locate missing persons with cogitative functional impact, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.

If your business, homeowners’ association, or other organization would like to partner with the Concord Police Department by purchasing Flock Safety ALPR cameras, please visit cityofconcord.org/ALPR

Homeless Strategic Plan Development Continues

Work continues on Concord’s development of a Homeless Strategic Plan to address and prevent homelessness in the community.

The 11-member Working Group has been meeting monthly since March, and the project’s consultants and City staff have hosted two community meetings and several focus groups, and conducted multiple surveys to gather feedback.

In June, the team presented its background report to Council and shared information about the project’s next steps, which include developing a vision and goals for the strategic plan.

At press time, the Working Group, which meets on the fourth Mondays of the month, was scheduled to meet again on Monday, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. at the Concord Senior Center. These meetings are open to the public.

The background report and more information about the project can be found at cityofconcord.org/homelessstrategicplan. The page also contains a link to subscribe to email updates about the project.