License-plate-reading cameras are coming to the city of El Cajon. It’s part of a one-year pilot program the El Cajon City Council approved last week.
“Technology is great, but how is it used? How do I know who’s using it? How do I know the people using it are using it properly?” resident Larry Nicoletti asked.
These are just some of the questions El Cajon residents have about the program.
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“You would be capturing images of the back of the vehicle. Specifically, what’s the vehicle type, color … that type of information,” said a spokesperson with Flock System, the company that makes and operated the camera system.
The El Cajon Police Department said license plate readers give them real-time alerts when a stolen car is detected, or when an amber, blue, silver, or feather alerts are detected. Cameras will also help investigators search for cars used in crimes, according to ECPD.
“It worries me as to who has control of the power of using it,” Nicoletti said.
Only police, city officials, and law enforcement agencies within the system would have access to the video, according to Flock System's representative.
“It kind of gives you an uneasy feeling that you’re being watched all the time,” San Diego resident Homayoon Javadi said.
One hundred other California police agencies use Flock's system and 60 of them are in Southern California, according to ECPD.
Police say the cameras will not just help solve crime, but also help deter it. That brings comfort to residents like Juan Castrejon. He said two years ago someone broke his car windows, but there was no evidence to help police track down the suspects.
He hopes the cameras will change that.
“It makes us feel safe because I think the cameras are going to help us reduce the crime,” Castrejon said.
Police said the cameras will also help investigators search for cars used in crimes. They also want to reassure the public the cameras will not photograph the people inside the car.
The cost of the one-year pilot program is $114,000 and that includes cameras, installation and maintenance costs, according to ECPD. The program will go into effect within the next six months.
