By Pat Culverhouse
Minden’s police department wants to put another major tool in its crime-fighting belt with the implementation of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) at key entry and exit points in the city.
In a proposal titled “Optimizing Law Enforcement Efficiency through LPR Technology,” the department is seeking to raise $181,000 through grants and donations to place 18 cameras that will, according to the proposal, “…enhance efforts in crime prevention, stolen vehicle recovery and aid criminal investigations.”
Chief Jared McIver and MPD Det. Lt. Jason Smith will be presenting the proposal Wednesday at the Greater Minden Chamber of Commerce board meeting to show businesses the benefits of the system and hopefully receive additional financial backing.
“These LPRs will help diminish crime and help us solve cases much more quickly,” Smith said. “It will take us a long time to get where we’re going, but we believe over the next five years we will see a significant increase in arrests and a decrease in crime.”
Smith said the technology isn’t new. It’s already been proven as an instrument to help law enforcement move more quickly and efficiently in solving crimes. Statistics from other jurisdictions show how efficient LPRs can be.
“The Tulsa (OK) Chief of Police attributes the LPRs to a 100 percent homicide clearance rate in 2024,” he said. “ The Opelousas PD reports a significant decrease in crime rates with shootings and robberies dropping by more than 25 percent and total arrests declining.”
When a crime occurs, all that’s needed is the make and model of a vehicle that may have been involved. An LPR can identify the vehicle and license plate and immediately be entered into a nationwide data base for identification.
“This means not only our department but other jurisdictions will be alerted to the identity of a suspect vehicle,” Smith said. “Somewhere down the line, the vehicle will be stopped by law enforcement.”
Smith cited cases in Minden where LPR technology could have helped investigators bring suspects into custody quickly.
“At the Hillside Apartment murder scene, a witness identified the suspect vehicle which would have hit an LPR at Sibley Road. It would have allowed for identification of the vehicle days before the suspect was identified,” he said.
In a case involving the theft of approximately $10,000 worth of tires and rims from a local auto dealer, the suspect’s vehicle was identified through the dealership’s surveillance system. Smith said the film did not record the license plate, but an LPR at exit sites would have done so.
Nine locations have been identified for placement of the LPRs based on crime reports and traffic volume to maximize effectiveness. With the high cost of the program, cameras will be placed in phases in locations that have been prioritized, Smith said.
“In phase one, we’ll put the readers at Sibley Rd. at Interstate 20 and Shreveport Rd. and Highway 80,” he said. “Phase two will be Highway 80 at Louisiana 531, and Homer Rd. at Highway 531.”
Phases three and four will target LA 531 at I-20, Pine St. and the city limits, Lewisville Rd. At the city limits, Bayou Ave. at city limits and Germantown Rd. At city limits.
“Money is making us do this in phases. Each site runs about $18,000, all costs considered,” Smith said. “We’re currently in the gathering funds stage, but we could be purchasing and implementing LPRs within the next 30 to 45 days.”
While some critics of LPR technology point to privacy issues, Smith said these cameras do not take video footage. Only photos are captured, and the data is deleted after 30 days so there will be no permanent collection of information.
“Those who object to the cameras should remember there’s hardly a place you can go and not be on some sort of surveillance. Bossier Parish has between 120 and 140 of these and there’s hardly a business that does not have surveillance equipment,” he said.
Smith said privacy may be an issue to some, but studies have shown that the average person will be captured on cameras of some sort between 150 and 200 times daily.
Smith said the program is part of McIver’s plan to update the Minden Police Department and bring the department more in line with advances in technology.
“Chief McIver says we’re going to modernize our force and catch up with what has been proven to be a very successful tool in solving all types of crimes,” he said. “The standard of proof is much different than 20 years ago when maybe just one witness was all you needed.”
