COLUSA, CA (MPG) —The Colusa City Council has approved a two-year contract with Flock Safety to install automated license plate reader cameras throughout the city.
The $77,200 project will deploy 11 cameras at key entry and exit points in Colusa. The system will be funded through the Police Department’s allocation of Measure B discretionary funds. If those funds are unavailable, the cost will be covered by the department’s Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund (SLESF).
The cameras will operate around the clock, capturing rear images of vehicles traveling on public roadways. According to Flock Safety Public Affairs Manager Kristen McCloud, the devices are designed to aid investigations and alert officers to flagged vehicles.
“Founded in 2017 after their CEO had experienced an uptick in crime in his own neighborhood, Flock Safety’s goal was to help police solve property crime such as stolen packages and vehicle break-ins,” McCloud said. “While neighbors shared their doorbell footage with police it wasn’t enough of an investigative lead to really impact the case.”
McCloud said law enforcement agencies are adopting the technology to improve efficiency.
“Agencies are looking for new ways to do more with less,” she said. “This is not replacing officers. It’s providing them with a tool to do their jobs more efficiently without impacting staff.”
The cameras will notify officers when a passing vehicle matches information connected to stolen vehicles, wanted persons, or active Amber Alerts.
“If an Amber Alert is issued, and there is suspect vehicle information that matches the description passed by a camera in your community, officers will be alerted to that vehicle in about 20 seconds,” McCloud said.
She emphasized that the system does not use facial recognition and is not used for traffic enforcement.
“This is about vehicle details, not people. These are not red light cameras, and they are not used for speed enforcement,” McCloud said. “It’s about providing indiscriminate evidence to your officers.”
Data collected by the system is automatically deleted after 30 days. Any searches must include a reason that can be audited later. The network can also be shared between jurisdictions.
An example, McCloud explained, would be if a vehicle was stolen in Yuba City. Local officers could ask Colusa for access to see whether the vehicle entered or exited the city.
Police Chief Josh Fitch said similar systems are already in use in Williams, Sutter County, and larger cities including Santa Rosa, Richmond, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Woodland.
Fitch said the system could help with stolen vehicle investigations, domestic violence cases, and other incidents.
“If the suspects fled, and we know their vehicle details, we could run a search on the Flock cameras to get an idea where they headed,” he said.
Councilmember Greg Ponciano asked for clarification on the source of funding, confirming it would come from the city’s Measure B allocation.
The council voted unanimously to approve the contract, which will allow cameras to be installed at all major entry and exit routes into the city.