Chico Police Department Business Support Team

In 2013, the CPDBST raised the money and negotiated the purchase of an Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR). The ALPR idea was presented to us by CPD personnel at our first officer-citizen luncheon as an effective means for the community to partner with the CPD. The unit purchased has 3 cameras mounted to the front, rear and right side of a patrol car. Scanned license plates are immediately checked against several databases and ‘plates of interest’ are immediately flagged. In its first day of use (4-23-14) the unit identified one stolen vehicle and one vehicle using stolen plates. In the first 15 weeks of use, the unit identified 14 stolen vehicles and 35 stolen plates and assisted in the apprehension of 1 individual with a felony warrant and 1 gang member. The CPD is very happy with this technology and keeps the ALPR patrol vehicle almost constantly deployed. Through our initiation, the CPD has requested that the CPDBST consider the purchase of a 4th camera for the ALPR patrol vehicle. Adding one more camera to the existing vehicle will increase the unit’s effectiveness without any additional officer patrol time. Of primary importance will be the reduction by 50% of the time required to cover parking lots, a frequent policing tactic. The cost of the additional camera is approximately $4k which includes installation and insurance.