Automated License Plate Reader Expansion for Law Enforcement

Mid-America Regional Council proposes to implement the Automated License Plate Reader Expansion for Law Enforcement Program. The purpose is to increase the solvability of violent crimes in the cities of Independence, Missouri and Kansas City, Missouri. Project activities include the installation of approximately one hundred forty-four (144) automated license plate readers (ALPR) at forty-two (42) high traffic intersections and crime hot spots based on crime data. Devices will be concentrated in the Bi-State Sustainable Reinvestment Corridor and the east-west border of Kansas City and Independence. ALPRs capture high-resolution images of vehicular traffic and extract license plate numbers to scan through law enforcement databases. ALPRs query the known locations and patterns of movement of violent offenders, missing and endangered subjects, and vehicles wanted in connection with criminal cases, then immediately convey information to law enforcement in the field. Expected outcomes include increased sharing of intelligence across jurisdictional boundaries, increased and faster crime clearance rates, and increased public understanding of the law enforcement benefits of ALPR technology. The project will benefit the general public in the greater Kansas City region because data will be available to multiple law enforcement agencies through a shared online ALPR portal. The project subrecipients are the Board of Police Commissioners of Kansas City, Missouri and the City of Independence, Missouri. Subrecipient activities include purchase, installation and maintenance of ALPRs and related software; and training and analysis to interpret and act upon intelligence gathered.