The Bloomington City Council on Monday approved expanding the police department's use of the Automatic License Plate Reader [ALPR] program.
Cameras placed at high-need areas in Bloomington are used to read license plates. The technology aids in vehicle-related investigations such as sexual assaults, homicides, car accidents and carjackings, say police. They are not used in minor traffic offenses such as speeding.
The Bloomington Police Department [BPD] also said the technology has reduced potential bias in traffic stops by being able to single out cars associated with criminal activity.
“Call it a fingerprint from a car’s DNA,” said BPD chief Jamal Simington. “We can put that information in, and it'll tell us, well, that car of this plate, matching that color and this vehicle type, was at a certain location in the city of Bloomington. So those investigative leads truly enhance our capabilities.”
Fourteen new cameras will be added, totaling 35 cameras in use by the BPD. Also granted for BPD use was a Solar Falcon LR, another technology used to gather evidence through traffic surveillance.
The BPD has used ALPR technology since 2022.
“We came into this program slowly. We did not buy a lot the first iteration, and now we're going to increase and get up to 35 automatic license plate readers throughout the city in order to fill some gaps,” said Simington.
Audit results
The council meeting also featured a presentation from the audit firm, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, summarizing the citywide audit finalized on Oct. 23.
Michael Malatt characterized it as a “relatively straightforward year” from a financial perspective.
“The fact that you guys have it buttoned up and we weren't able to find anything, is just testament to how things operate in a smooth and effective manner,” said Malatt.
Council members also mentioned that leaf and brush pickup is going smoothly. Public works crews are scheduled to continue collections until Dec. 31. Raking leaves keeps manholes, water valves and inlets clear of leaves.
“Two or three years ago, I know there were concerns really about leaves and brush and lots of things like that," said council member Sheila Montney. “But I'll tell you. This week, I fielded a compliment on not only the promptness, but just the attention to detail in terms of the leaf and brush pickup, and it's really showing their commitment to customer service.”
