The City Council of Piedmont agreed on March 18 to move forward with a plan to post license plate readers at approximately half of the 24 entrance points to Piedmont.
City Council member Garrett Keating said, “We’re going to go with a plan that includes posting stationary readers at ten or twelve [points of entry and exit], along with installing a reader in every squad car to monitor the other points on a rotating basis.”
Chief of Police Rikki Goede suggested the license plate readers after seeing their effectiveness in cities similar to Piedmont, including Tiburon and Claremont.
“The readers are a great tool for being able to know which cars are going in and out of Piedmont,” Goede said. “They’re a useful investigative device that can help us get leads on cases that we know involve vehicles but we don’t have a plate.”
According to Keating, crime rates in Piedmont are at an all-time high, with a spike in robberies and home invasions. Mayor John Chiang cited the two armed break-ins on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as the main cause for considering the license plate readers.
“Piedmont needs to send the message that we aren’t ‘easy pickings,’” Keating said.
The readers will capture an image of every car that drives by one of the cameras, then compare the license plate to several different “hot lists,” including stolen plates, stolen cars, cars registered to felons, sex offenders, and cars wanted by police in Piedmont or other cities with the same manufacturer, including Oakland, Emeryville, and Walnut Creek.
“A lot of our criminals aren’t living in Piedmont, so having other cities also using the same system can be a big advantage,” Goede said. “If one of the cars we want passes through, we’ll hear about it and vice versa.”
City Council member Jeff Wieler explained the steps remaining before the license plate readers are formally approved. After the Piedmont Police Department finds an installation company, works with PG&E to plan the energy usage, and draws up a contract with the manufacturer, the Public Safety and Budget Advisory committees will review the concept.
“These committees are comprised of citizens who volunteer to serve Piedmont and also serve as a forum for citizens who have questions and concerns,” Wieler said.
Wieler said that he has not heard concerns about privacy but encourages citizens to come forward with any thoughts at the Public Safety committee’s next meeting.
“There’s been a very positive response from the community overall,” Keating said.
However, Goede said that she had heard the concern that license plate readers might create a type of “virtual fence” around Piedmont, or appear exclusive.
“I’ve heard it described that way, but it’s not,” Goede said. “It doesn’t keep people out of Piedmont, it just lets us know if potentially dangerous people enter or exit Piedmont. I’m new to Piedmont, and I’ve found it to be a wonderful, welcoming community where people can live, work, and play. The only people we don’t want to welcome are criminals.”
In addition to the license plate readers, Goede also plans to expand the police department and encourage neighborhood vigilance.
“I always say that technology is only one aspect,” Goede said. “It has to go hand in hand with community involvement and an effective police force.”
The City Council has authorized the police department to hire ahead for future vacancies in anticipation of retirements this year. Goede plans to hire a new detective, a school resource officer, and a juvenile detective to supplement the department as well.
“Especially as the readers are installed, it will be too much information for one detective to handle,” Goede said.
The police department, city council, and Public Safety Committee will be pushing for increased community involvement in safety, including neighborhood watch groups, locked doors, and informational meetings that will explain to residents how to improve their own security and neighborhood security.
“The more eyes and ears looking out for our community, the better,” said Vice Mayor of Piedmont Margaret Fujioka.
Fujioka created the Public Safety Committee to educate residents about crime prevention and disaster preparedness. The Committee has organized Neighborhood Safety Meetings, held in the homes of residents, to provide crime prevention tips. Fujioka recently held one such meeting in her own home.
“I think it was educational and empowering for neighbors to know that if they look out for each other, the chances of crime occurring are lessened,” Fujioka said.