County expands license plate reader program with second purchase

MANTI—Sanpete County commissioners approved the purchase of a second license plate reader for the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office during their June 16 meeting.

The commission unanimously authorized the purchase of a Motorola Solutions license plate reader for $4,704.

The purchase follows commission approval Feb. 3 of the county’s first license plate reader. During the February meeting, Commissioner Scott Bartholomew asked where the device would be deployed.

Sheriff Jared Buchanan explained that while the reader is stationary, it also can be mounted in a vehicle. He said the Sheriff’s Office detective division would help determine the most appropriate location for the device.

In the February meeting, Buchanan said the technology could assist with drug trafficking investigations, missing persons cases and incidents involving individuals with dementia who have wandered away. While similar systems were already in use elsewhere in Utah, Buchanan said, the license plate reader he was proposing would be the first in Sanpete County.

The sheriff said the system requires an annual subscription fee, which would be covered through grant funding.

Commissioner Mike Bennett made the motion Feb. 3 to approve the invoice from Motorola Solutions for the county’s first license plate reader in the amount of $6,000.

Buchanan emphasized during the discussion that the Motorola license plate reader system differs from Flock Safety cameras, which have drawn criticism from some privacy advocates.

According to information presented during the meeting, Motorola’s platform is designed primarily for local government and law enforcement agencies and integrates with other public safety technologies, including body cameras and in-car video systems. Data would be kept within the Sheriff’s Office.

In contrast, Flock Safety systems use solar-powered, wireless cameras connected to a cloud-based network that allows agencies and organizations to search and share license plate information across jurisdictions.

In addition to reading license plates, Flock systems can identify vehicle characteristics such as decals, roof racks and temporary tags.

Sheriff Buchanan and Sgt. Keith Jensen, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office, did not respond to multiple phone calls or emails seeking additional comment.