San Fernando Police chief promotes use of license plate cameras – NBC Los Angeles

The San Fernando Police are using advanced technology to help them find vehicles connected to crimes. Chief Fabian Valdez explained that cameras strategically placed around the city capture vehicles passing through intersections. This allows officers to quickly identify cars linked to criminal activity. The system has already led to multiple arrests for serious offenses such as attempted murder and kidnapping.

The technology combines digital photography and artificial intelligence to analyze license plates and cross-reference them with law enforcement databases. This process helps law enforcement determine if a vehicle has been associated with criminal activity or a missing person. Valdez demonstrated how the system is used to track the movements of a vehicle and shared that real-time data is sent directly to officers’ cell phones.

While the system has proven to be effective in solving crimes, some concerns have been raised about privacy. The ACLU has criticized the technology as a form of mass surveillance and encourages citizens to inquire about how their data is stored. In states like New Hampshire, regulations require police to delete data not related to a crime within a few minutes. In California, the information is stored for a longer period, typically 30 days. Despite these concerns, the use of high-tech cameras for law enforcement purposes has become increasingly common across the Southland.