Los Altos Hills green-lights using automatic license plate readers

Buoyed by overwhelming resident assist, the Los Altos Hills Metropolis Council Thursday bypassed an automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, pilot program and unanimously agreed to approve full-scale deployment of the know-how all through city.

Megan V. Winslow/City Crier File Picture

Automated license plate readers preserve watch on Arastradero Street in Portola Valley. The Los Altos Hills Metropolis Council authorised deployment of ALPRs final week after rejecting them in 2018.

“Individuals may need seen that I used to be a little bit hesitant about this or skeptical of doing this, and thru interactions with residents and their considerate feedback, I’ve been utterly gained over now,” Councilmember Lisa Schmidt stated. “I feel we ought to do that, and I feel we ought to do that full scale.”

“Let’s get rolling,” Councilmember George Tyson added.

The council directed workers to finish analysis of potential ALPR distributors and to solicit skilled suggestions, together with some from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Workplace, regarding one of the best places for mounting cameras and what number of may be wanted to completely cowl all city exits and entrances.

Based on an summary of the ALPR coverage city administration analyst Cody Einfalt introduced Thursday, residents will be capable to choose out of this system to stop the techniques from recording their license plates. There additionally will probably be guidelines about how lengthy knowledge might be saved, and entry to it will likely be restricted to particular legislation enforcement investigations performed by deputies educated in ALPR use; whichever vendor the city selects is not going to have entry.

Involved about rising housebreaking charges, residents, led by Rajiv Bhateja, have pressed for ALPR set up. Bhateja beforehand estimated the mission would value the city both $150,000 per digital camera as a one-time value or $2,500 per digital camera per 12 months for a subscription.

Of the 16 individuals who spoke through the public remark portion of the agenda merchandise, solely resident Anand Ranganathan urged the council to reject the present ALPR coverage. On the council’s Feb. 18 assembly, he delivered a presentation opposing using ALPRs. On Thursday, Ranganathan expressed concern about treating nonresidents, together with Los Altos residents his youngsters play with, as “second-class residents” as a result of their households’ license plates will probably be recorded. He additionally worries about potential knowledge leaks.

“This coverage as it’s written is insufficiently protecting of particular person residents’ privateness. That has been promised beforehand,” Ranganathan stated. “It doesn’t place any duties in town or the seller – solely on the sheriff, who’s the one one participant on this entire course of.”

Hills resident Maria Caffey was amongst those that desire a strong method to safety on the town by way of using ALPRs.

“It’s a confirmed know-how and it’s already in use all around the Bay Space,” she stated. “Let’s give the unhealthy guys a little bit credit score. If you happen to set up license plate readers at solely a portion of the entrances to the city, then they’ll simply need to drive by way of the (areas) that don’t have the readers.”