Officials from the Riley County Police Department appeared at Tuesday’s city commission meeting to address common questions about their automated license plate readers, but were met with security concerns from commissioners and the public. These plate readers (ALPRs) are high-speed, computer-controlled camera systems mounted on squad cars, poles or overpasses, and include Flock cameras. RCPD credits the use of ALPRs for more than 150 “positive outcomes” in recent cases. RCPD deputy director Erin Freidline said the system takes still images of license plates on the rear of vehicles. “That door to data is stored for approximately 30 days in our systems,” she said. “You know, this has been a technology that’s been in use for decades. It kind of ebbs and flows on how people want to view it, but it is newer to our community, just in the last couple years.” There are 11 Flock cameras installed in and around the edges of Manhattan. “There is no facial recognition in a license plate reader that is taking a picture of a license plate tag, and there’s no demographic,” Freidline said. “If you were to try and get occupants of the vehicle, if that picture is taken, there isn’t the technology to do demographics across those ALPRs as well.” Sgt. Michael Dunn with the criminal intelligence unit said he is the administrator for most of the ALPR systems. “This analytical software allows us to connect data across cases, identify patterns and provide patrol and detectives with actionable intelligence much earlier in the investigative process,” Dunn said. “These tools are producing real outcomes, for example, faster case resolutions and improved ability to identify and intercept suspects before crimes escalate.” Dunn said Flock automatically creates an audit trail when searches are conducted, and RCPD’s policy requires an audit of all ALPR systems