Automatic License Plate Readers and Gun Shot Detection

 

Both Champaign and Urbana have recently jumped on the issue of Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs), gun shot detection systems and additional cameras. The News-Gazette had coverage earlier this week on both cities plans to implement new systems:

Automated license-plate readers could potentially be in use in Champaign and Urbana by the end of the year to help police fight escalating gun violence.

The Champaign City Council endorsed leasing and launching the new technology at a study session Tuesday, but approval of a contract won’t happen until an upcoming council session expected to take place in November.

The Urbana City Council on Monday was asked to approve a budget amendment to go ahead with the plate readers, but aldermen opted to delay action until they see a final policy on how they will be used.

Automated license-plate readers, which can be placed in stationary locations such as traffic lights, exit ramps and street poles or attached to squad cars, are high-speed cameras that can quickly take photos of plates with a specific time and date, according to Atlanta-based Flock Safety, the company that would act as contractor for both cities.

That full article here. In a recent Champaign City Council study session report, they go into detail about the systems and why the believed they are necessary for the City to implement now:

In preparing this report for the possible deployment of ALPRs, City of Champaign Police administration thoroughly reviewed the previous 5 years’ worth of gun violence data as well as the associated crime mapping information. Administration also identified and closely evaluated the neighborhoods that have most frequently been affected by gun violence. That data, and the associated crime mapping information, was ultimately shared with a Flock Safety representative whose sole job is to review crime data, to review crime mapping information, and to evaluate City and neighborhood maps to formulate a plan for ALPR deployment. The recommendation to deploy 36 ALPRs was developed by Police in consultation with the Flock representative based upon this crime data analysis. This number of ALPRs is being recommended to provide adequate, baseline coverage of the neighborhoods most frequently affected by gun violence during the initial deployment of ALPRs. 

The general approach to determining deployment locations was to focus on placing ALPRs around the neighborhoods most frequently affected by gun violence, not within them. ALPRs are readily visible devices, and deployments are planned throughout the City. Preliminary deployment plans are focused on arterial streets and the routes most likely to be traveled by those who are committing acts of gun violence; furthermore, specific ALPR locations will not be finalized pending Council direction.

A City map which provides general deployment location information is included for Council review and appears at the end of this report as Attachment B.

Full study session report with proposed use policy and a summary overview on the history of gun violence and responses over the years here. For a more critical take on the technology, check out Bill Bell's opinion piece here.

Urbana is considering a similar policy with gun shot detection systems as well. From WCIA a few weeks ago:

Chief Seraphin says these will help identifying cars before and after crimes and also help if witnesses are afraid to speak up or do not remember what they saw. They say while they know in the long term they need to work on other factors that contribute to gun violence. Right now, they are in crisis mode and working on a quick solution...

Chief Seraphin said the ALPR’s cost about $2,500 per unit nd about $250 to install. He says he hopes they can install around 20 throughout Urbana.

Urbana got this idea after watching it work for surrounding cities. Rantoul recently caught a suspect by using the ALDR’s. Decatur also has them.

Mayor Marlin also said the University of Illinois Police and Champaign County Sheriff’s Office are looking into installing them as well. Chief Seraphin and the mayor said this would be helpful to work together with the surrounding areas.

That full article is available here. The City of Urbana also has additional information on their website here with a link to a video presentation on the topic at the City Council.

There will be two townhall meetings later this month co-hosted by the local NAACP branch and the Urbana Police Department to address questions and concerns about the systems. They will be held at the Vineyard Church (facebook, website). This will be updated with event links and/or updates once they're up:

• Thursday, October 28th : 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Vineyard Church, Urbana 
• Friday, October 29th : 1:00 – 3:00 p.m., Vineyard Church, Urbana

September Roundup

 

 

As folks can certainly tell, we're still very much behind and finding it impossible to keep up with all the recent changes, pandemic related issues, and news coverage. In some ways there's more local government information easily accessible and available than ever. Unfortunately the pandemic also really affected availability and shook up everyone's lives. Hopefully we'll be able to get back up to a regular schedule of coverage again soon. Here's a quick C-U Local Roundup of news and issues:

The pandemic had also interrupted and delayed a lot of local plans for police reforms. One pilot program for crisis intervention appears to be getting off the ground now in Urbana with plans to expand to Champaign and elsewhere later. From the News-Gazette:

Plans for the crisis co-responder team call for a Rosecrance social worker and an Urbana police officer who has a master’s degree in social work to follow up on calls for service related to mental or behavioral health crises, Marlin said.

The Urbana officer to work on this team will have a new title — behavioral health detective — and since she will be redeployed from her current police job, there will be no new city money involved, the mayor said.

Urbana Police Lt. Corey Koker, who is overseeing this program for the police department, said the police-Rosecrance response team will be focused on public service and will have its own dedicated office and resources.

In follow-up response visits, the team will try to connect people in crisis to available community services that can help them, he said.

That full article here. WCIA had additional coverage here.

Long term plans for improvements in the Garden Hills neighborhood appear to have been approved to get a boost in their schedule with additional funds. From the News-Gazette earlier in September:

The morning after the Champaign City Council unanimously endorsed speeding up long-needed lighting and drainage work in the Garden Hills neighborhood, city staff members were already meeting to get those initiatives underway, Communications Manager Jeff Hamilton said Wednesday...

The council has directed staff see if the city’s $25.2 million in funding from the most recent federal coronavirus relief act can be used for the projects. If that allowed, the city would devote about half of that funding to Garden Hills — $5 million toward the much larger costs of drainage improvements and $6 million to $8 million for lighting projects.

That full blurb with additional details here.

For more information on local gun violence and responses, I strongly encourage people to check out the Champaign County Community Coalition and their meetings. Each meeting has updates from the local police chiefs and presentations on local programs and efforts to address the violence and underlying needs of the community.

Other local news links:

• Urbana violence reduction updates from WCIA.
• Champaign policing hiring changes to fill vacancies more efficiently.
• Buy Black Chambana is promoting Black owned businesses in Chaampaign-Urbana. The Daily Illini had coverage of one of their recent events here.
• Illinois Newsroom had an interview with the Champaign fire chief on 9/11's impact on him personally and on firefighting in general here.