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Deterrence vs Investigative Tool <br />•Acting Chief Torres stated to the City Council on 9/18/23 that the primary value of ALPR is as an investigative tool in response to reported crimes, not as a crime deterrent. <br />•The Council presentation included reference to 5 “success stories” (2 robberies, 2 car-jackings and 1 homicide) where ALPR data was cited as a positive factor in those investigations. It was not clear whether the data used came from the fixed Flock and/or mobile cameras <br />•There is no generally accepted study on the extent, if any, to which ALPR cameras reduce crime. <br />Note: A 40 years long-term study of surveillance camera use in Europe cited by a Council Member found a 13% reduction in the crime rate when surveillance cameras were in use there -but those were generally video cameras, not static ALPR cameras, and were monitored pro-actively; that same study found little to no effect when the data was used passively or retroactively (which is more analogous to how data from our ALPR systems are used for investigative purposes).