Council approves agreement for license plate reader cameras in Newton

License plate reader cameras will be installed in select locations within Newton city limits this year, which police say will not only improve services and increase public safety but also provide officers access to a network of other communities with similar surveillance systems to track down fleeing criminals.

According to documents from the city council meeting on Dec. 18, 2023, the Newton Police Department continues to face staffing challenges, and the city administrator says the 10 cameras provided by Atlanta-based company Flock Safety would act as a force multiplier to aid in reducing and solving crime.

Other law enforcement agencies are already utilizing license plate reader camera systems, which are designed to capture vehicle movement throughout the city. The cameras have technology that can read license plates and identify vehicles based on a number of characteristics like color, make, model, configuration, etc.

In total, 13 law enforcement agencies currently use the Flock Safety camera system: police departments in West Des Moines, University of Iowa, Council Bluffs, Altoona, Clive, Ankeny, Urbandale, Waukee, Glenwood, Camanche, Clinton Carter Lake and Marshalltown, as well as Polk County Conservation.

Newton Police Chief Rob Burdess wants to deploy the cameras at the main entry and exit points in the city, as well as areas with high retail crime. By setting up cameras in these specific locations, it would allow the police department to better identify criminal activity as vehicles enter or flee the city after committing a crime.

“We’re trying to hit the gateways of the community. We’re trying to, first off, keep the bad guys out. And if they do come in, we’re going to know they’re here,” Burdess said. “Then if they commit a crime here and leave we’re going to know which way they went. There’s also a minimum purchase to be part of a network.”

Ten cameras is the minimum. If the police department wants to share information and connect with metro agencies that have similar networks and cameras, the chief said the purchase of all 10 cameras is needed. Access to the network is also how police can identify criminals entering and leaving cities.

By entering into a two-year contract with Flock Safety for $67,300, all camera maintenance and upgrades will be provided at no additional fee.

Council member Mark Hallam struggled with how to vote on this particular project. Operationally and technically speaking, it sounded to him like a great idea. But at the same time it reminded him Big Brother from the novel “1984″ by George Orwell. Council member Melissa Dalton had similar reservations.

“From my understanding — and tell me if I’m wrong — the information is only kept for 30 days unless there is a crime attached,” Dalton said.

Hallam responded, “That was my understanding.”

Newton Mayor Evelyn George, who was still an at-large council member at the time of the meeting, said the city is anticipating a lot of visitors coming into the community this summer that are not local. George said sometimes large events attract individuals who are not there for the event, suggesting illegal activity.

Inevitably the city council voted 6-0 to approve the service agreement with Flock Safety for the license plate reader cameras. Newton Police is using a mixture of grant funds, bond funds and bond interest to pay for the cameras; any remaining costs for year one of the agreement will be paid with drug forfeiture funds.

Additional technology falls in line with past efforts by the Newton Police Department and former mayor Mike Hansen, the latter of which introduced a program in 2019 that allowed for four, pole-mounted security/surveillance cameras to be placed throughout the community at any given time.

Hansen and Burdess spoke highly of the program. Burdess said those four cameras have been “invaluable” and assisted in solving a number of high-level crimes in the community, including a homicide, a robbery, an arson, a large-scale burglary and a narcotics operation.

Any tool the city can give to police officers to ensure the safety of the community “before and after the fact” is money well-invested, Hansen said.