DATE: December 5, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Roy Nakamura, Chief of Police
By: Amber Abeyta, Management Analyst
SUBJECT: PURCHASE ORDER WITH FLOCK SAFETY FOR THE ANNUAL RENEWAL OF THE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER (“ALPR”)
CAMERA SUBSCRIPTION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023-24 IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $50,000
CEQA: Not a Project
Recommendation: Approve
SUMMARY
The Arcadia Police Department presently utilizes a subscription-based system for 20 automated license plate reader ("ALPR") cameras. This subscription, procured from Flock Safety, is renewed on an annual basis. A subscription-based system is the preferred model due to the ability to streamline maintenance, upgrades, and equipment, further enhancing the effectiveness of the cameras. Given the Department's satisfaction with this system, it is recommended that the City Council approve the Purchase Order with Flock Safety for the annual renewal of the ALPR camera subscription for Fiscal Year 2023-24, in an amount not to exceed $50,000.
BACKGROUND
In 2008, the Police Department implemented an ALPR system to combat criminal activity, enhance productivity, and improve officer safety. The ALPR system automatically captures license plates from passing vehicles as well as vehicles parked on a street or in a parking lot. Once the license plate is processed, the officer operating the ALPR (or the Department’s Dispatch Center) is immediately notified whenever a license plate is read that is associated with the following criteria: stolen vehicle, identification of vehicles connected to wanted felons, Amber Alerts, or any other search criteria determined by the Department.
In Arcadia, ALPR camera systems are located in fixed and mobile locations throughout the City. The ALPR system retains captured license plates and photographs of vehicles for a period of 30 days, which allows investigators time to review this data and possibly
ALPR Camera System Subscription Renewal
December 5, 2023
locate vehicles associated with criminal activity in the City. Once potential vehicles are connected to a crime, investigators input license plate information that triggers an alert to all officers with a digital photo of the vehicle, and pinpoint mapping of its current or previous location.
The ALPR system can capture exponentially more vehicle data than any single officer could on their own. The ALPR system has resulted in numerous recoveries of stolen vehicles and provides timely alerts of criminally wanted vehicles entering the City, leading to arrests.
DISCUSSION
In 2021, with the City Council’s approval, the Department replaced the original ALPR camera system due to age-based malfunctions, transitioning from a purchase/ownership option to a subscription-based platform. The new ALPR camera system that was secured from Flock Safety includes the following features:
• Subscription-based platform that is the most cost effective and efficient solution. • Eliminates costly annual operating fees and extensive in-house support. • Extended warranty program and service plan.
• Camera monitoring services to ensure performance is meeting optimal standards. • All-inclusive pricing per camera, which includes the hardware, software, SIM card and data plan, warranty maintenance, monitoring, and software upgrades. • The latest ALPR technology, which captures more vehicle information and expands coverage across more intersection locations.
• Solar generated power, eliminating the need for the City to run connections to traffic signal poles for power.
• Detecting vehicles with no plates, temporary plates, dirty/covered plates, and accurate state detection.
• Effective processing of the newer black Legacy plates issued by the State, which lack illuminating features.
• Camera coverage of two vehicle lanes (former cameras covered one lane), increasing coverage at the City’s intersections.
• Data hosted on a cloud-based Criminal Justice Information System (“CJIS”), which eliminates the need for costly in-house servers.
• Allows the Department to share intelligence with neighboring agencies in the county and law enforcement agencies nationwide.
• Subscription costs of $50,000 annually, which provides significant cost savings compared to the total cost of ownership for the ALPR camera system.
The transition to the subscription-based platform was implemented in FY 2021-22. This is the third year that the subscription will be renewed. Based on Arcadia’s excellent
ALPR Camera System Subscription Renewal
December 5, 2023
experience with the Flock Safety service model and the consistent pricing, it is recommended that the subscription be renewed for another year.
It is important to highlight that the renewal of the 20 Flock Safety ALPR camera system subscription is in addition to the recently approved 23 flock safety ALPR camera subscription, which was authorized at the November 7, 2023, City Council meeting. This brings the total number of ALPR cameras in Arcadia to 43 (Attachment “A”), which will be strategically positioned across the City. This increase in surveillance infrastructure represents a significant investment in enhancing public safety and security within the community (see Attachment “A” for a map of camera locations).
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), based on Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, as it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
Sufficient funds have been budgeted in the Fiscal Year 2023-24 General Fund Operating budget to fund the $50,000 annual subscription cost.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council determine this action is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); and approve a Purchase Order with Flock Safety for the annual renewal of the automated license plate reader (“ALPR”) camera subscription for Fiscal Year 2023-24, in an amount not to exceed $50,000.
Attachment “A” – Map of 43 ALPR Camera Locations
ALPR Camera - Intersection Locations
Camera
No.Street/Intersection Name
Camera
No.Street/Intersection Name
Camera
No.Street/Intersection Name
Camera
No.Street/Intersection Name
1 S/B Baldwin @ Arboretum Way 12 N/B Santa Anita @ Live Oak 23 W/B Foothill @ Baldwin 34 N/B Golden West @ Naomi 2 N/B Santa Anita @ Foothill 13 E/B Las Tunas @ Baldwin 24 N/B Sunset @ Duarte 35 N/B Santa Anita @ 210 3 S/B Santa Anita @ Colorado 14 N/B Baldwin @ Las Tunas 25 E/B Longden @ El Sereno 36 N/B Holly @ Las Tunas 4 W/B Foothill @ 5th 15 E/B Camino Real @ Baldwin 26 W/B Longden @ 8th 37 S/B Santa Anita @ 210 5 W/B Colorado @ 5th 16 E/B Duarte @ Golden West 27 E/B Naomi @ Golden West 38 E/B Live Oak @ Santa Anita 6 W/B Huntington @ 5th 17 E/B Huntington @ Michillinda (NCL)28 N/B 2nd @ Live Oak 39 N/B Baldwin @ Arbolada 7 W/B Duarte @ 5th 18 E/B Huntington @ Michillinda (SCL) 29 W/B Santa Clara @ 5th 40 E/B Foothill @ Baldwin 8 W/B Camino Real @ Mayflower 19 E/B Colorado @ Michillinda 30 N/B Colorado Extension @ S/B Baldwin
41 E/B Sunset @ Michillinda
9 W/B Live Oak @ 6th 20 E/B Foothill @ Michillinda 31 N/B 6th @ Live Oak 42 S/B Baldwin @ Camino Real 10 E/B Clark @ Peck 21 N/B El Monte @ Las Tunas 32 W/B Live Oak @ Las Tunas 43 N/B Baldwin @ Camino Real 11 E/B Goldring @ Peck 22 E/B Hampton @ Michillinda 33 W/B Las Tunas @ Live Oak 1 4
5 7
8 10
1213
43 17
20 21
22 24
25 26
28 29
30 36
39 40
41 Attachment "A"