That the City Council:
A. Waive formal bid requirements per La Habra Municipal Code section 4.20.070(E) regarding the acquisition of information technology equipment; and

 

B. Approve and authorize the City Manager to enter a two-year lease agreement with Flock Group, Inc. and issue a purchase order for the lease, installation, and maintenance of 15 fixed location Automated License Plate Reader Cameras. 

Since 2010, the Police Department has utilized Automated License Plate Reader (“ALPR”) systems to combat criminal activity, enhance productivity, and improve officer safety. In La Habra, ALPR camera systems are installed on police vehicles and in fixed locations at intersections throughout the City. The ALPR system automatically captures an image of license plates from passing vehicles and vehicles parked on a street or in a parking lot.

Collected images are analyzed by system software and then searchable by license plate number, state of origin for the license plate, car color, car make, and car model. The images will be stored and available for law enforcement use for 30 days. ALPR systems are an effective investigative tool, used for both proactive and reactive law enforcement. Images captured by this system can be used to alert officers in real time to the location of a stolen vehicle or a suspect vehicle in a crime, or the system can be used to investigate crimes after they occur, providing crucial evidence and investigative leads.

The system also serves as a force multiplier. During a 12-hour shift, a very busy officer is capable of manually entering 100 to 200 license plates; however, an ALPR system can easily capture and record 3,000 to 4,000 plates in the same time frame. The ALPR system, to date, has resulted in countless recoveries of stolen vehicles and alerts of criminally wanted vehicles entering the city, leading to arrests.

The Flock ALPR system employs rigorous security measures, and all images and data are stored on encrypted cloud-based servers. The data is owned by the City of La Habra and access is restricted to authorized LHPD personnel and specific allied agencies that the department can choose to manually permit access. All searches are recorded, with a limited scope of authorized uses, and the system will be periodically audited to ensure compliance with policy and the law.

Expansion of ALPR Program:
The expansion of this program will consist of 15 additional cameras mounted at key locations throughout the city. Given the geographical location of La Habra, being a key entry point to Orange County from Los Angeles County the benefits of this data are immeasurable. 

Currently, the City of La Habra has 8 (eight) locations in which ALPRs are in use.  The additional 15 cameras will provide a more comprehensive analysis of vehicles involved in criminal activity within the city. 

The initial cost associated with this project includes funding for an annual lease, installation and implementation of 15 cameras, along with an initial two-year maintenance agreement, in an amount not to exceed $129,750.

The Department has previously set aside $45,000 for this project in the FY2024-2025 Approved Budget. In addition to the set-aside budget funds for this project, the city has been awarded grant funds specifically for ALPRs through Operation Stone Garden in the amount of $90,000. These grant funds will support the interdiction of illegal contraband and weapons through the City of La Habra.