North Platte Police Department rolls out automated license plate readers

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - New crime fighting technology is being utilized by the North Platte Police Department.

The department rolled out their Flock Safety Automated License Plate Readers last month.

Flock Safety, the company that built the technology, said the license plate reader cameras can be placed anywhere to capture detailed data about license plates and vehicles used to commit crimes.

It’s new technology that’s making its way to communities across the country and is paying dividends.

“It sends an alert to the patrol cars and the cellphones that are in the patrol cars saying that a particular car has passed that camera,” said Chief of Police Steve Reeves. “From that point, the police officers have to locate the car and verify that it is wanted. They can do the exact same thing in their patrol cars, but this just automates that system and allows us to have a force multiplier and lets us have more eyes for a minimal amount of money.”

Omaha and Kearney are the other two communities that are using the technology. North Platte currently has around 20 cameras installed throughout the community. The cost for each camera is between $2,000 and $2,500.

North Platte Police have served five warrants and recovered two stolen vehicles from Broken Bow and Rhode Island since the first week of October.