Authorities in St. Clair County are crediting the use of automated license plate readers in helping to solve homicide cases and say more of the devices will be installed in the area by the end of the year.
In a news conference Wednesday morning, the Illinois State Police, East St. Louis Police and the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s office said 45 of the plate readers, known as ALPRs are already in use in the Interstate 55-70-64 corridor in the Metro East and at least 30 more are on the way.
The cameras take pictures of license plates, which are then matched against national law enforcement databases. Authorities said Wednesday the technology was instrumental in locating a suspect in a July 5 homicide in East St. Louis.
ALPRs came to the Metro East last year through an extension of the 2020 Tamara Clayton Expressway Camera Act. Clayton was shot and killed while driving on Interstate 57 in Chicago.
“We have seen the impact license plate readers have made in Chicago through the reduction of expressway shootings and we anticipate seeing similar crime reduction in the Metro East,” said ISP Director Brendan Kelly in a news release.
“I think that these ALPRs will definitely benefit our community,” said East St. Louis Police Department Chief Kendall Perry. “With the increase of stolen vehicles and the rise in crime on our highways and streets, these cameras will be a great asset in, not only solving crimes, but deterring a lot of criminal activity,” he said in a statement.
The readers will not be used to solve “petty” crimes, like speeding, Illinois authorities said.
The technology is also in use in St. Charles County, where cameras are going up along roads in more than 40 locations after they proved effective at county parks.
St. Charles County Police Chief Kurt Kurt Frisz says the technology has helped solve a home invasion and assault in O’Fallon and break-ins at county parks. While some have voiced potential privacy concerns, the department says the readers will have a similar policy to their counterparts in Illinois, with a focus on major felony cases, crimes in progress, and sex offender monitoring in county parks.
Some St. Louis County police vehicles carry the readers, but the department does not have its own installed within jurisdiction. A spokesperson said the department has access to the readers owned by cities that contract out police service to the county.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department also uses the readers. City lawmakers are expected to consider legislation this fall which could see the return of cameras to address red light runners and speeding cars. Those camera programs were ruled unconstitutional in court. Potential legislation would look to overcome those legal concerns.