Salinas to deploy license plate readers in town
SALINAS, Calif. (KION) The Salinas Police Department is planning to deploy mobile license plate readers they say will help with public safety, even as some are concerned over public safety.
The mobile license plate readers are capable of snapping your car's license plate and storing the information in a database. It could be brought in as soon as next summer.
"The goal of the program is primarily to promote safety, traffic safety, to warn motorists to slow down," said Miguel Cabrera, a spokesperson for the Salinas Police Department.
Salinas police just received $190,000 from DHS to purchase three license plate readers. But it will not just be used to slow people down; the technology can also alert authorities on stolen vehicles and vehicles used in crimes.
KION has learned this is also part of a Department of Homeland Security initiative to combat terrorism.
"Past history has shown that terrorists will often use stolen vehicles as part of the commission of a terrorist act," said Cabrera.
"Our city has gotten so big, and so the population is so great, I think we can benefit by having the help with the traffic. So I don't have an issue with it at all," said Demeredith Deehansen, a Salinas resident.
The readers will not just stay in Salinas either. They will be available to cities across Monterey County if needed. One of the readers will be primarily used in South Monterey County and another on the Monterey Peninsula.
License plate information collected will be shared with local authorities and even the Department of Justice. But Salinas police say federal immigration officers will not get access.
"This information will not be shared by us to ICE," said Cabrera.
But some in Salinas say they are worried about how the technology can be used against them.
"I hope they use this appropriately, not to get advantage of drivers," said Cesar Davila, who gave KION statements in Spanish which we translated. "Because you know how racism is over here and they can have an advantage of that."
Salinas police will deploy the license plate readers during special events and other large gatherings.
