Palmdale Uses New Technology to Fight Crime

PALMDALE – The City of Palmdale has partnered with Flock Safety, a provider of crime-fighting technology, to bolster community safety through innovative measures. The City purchased 50 Flock License Plate Reader (LPR) cameras to help Sheriff’s deputies identify and locate vehicles involved in criminal activity.

These cameras, deployed strategically across Palmdale, mark a significant step toward a safer and more efficient community, integrating technology into crime prevention efforts. The cameras analyze license plates, vehicle color, make, and distinct object detection, enabling the system to send alerts for wanted plates and vehicles reported stolen or used in a crime. The information is available to area law enforcement and helps to identify and stop vehicles involved in criminal activities more accurately. The cameras do not capture anything inside vehicles, preserving individual privacy rights.

The cameras and its software use machine learning and enable motion capture to analyze vehicle characteristics without relying on reflective license plates. With the capability to process 30,000 vehicles per day and capture two lanes of traffic simultaneously, these cameras offer unparalleled efficiency and accuracy.

“The technology not only saves crucial investigative time but also minimizes unnecessary stops and detentions of law-abiding drivers,” emphasized Mayor Laura Bettencourt, underscoring the commitment to safeguarding community members’ privacy.

The Palmdale Sheriff’s Station’s integration into the broader Flock Safety camera platform enables seamless collaboration with surrounding jurisdictions, bolstering the network of resources available for enhanced safety measures. Other local Southern California government agencies currently using Flock Systems include Lancaster, Alhambra, Azusa, Covina, El Monte, Glendale, Pomona, and West Covina.