A joint effort between the local police agencies and the county prosecutor’s office have provided a new crime-fighting tool that is already producing positive results.
Members of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and Crawfordsville Police Department are now using the Flock Safety License Camera System which reads passing vehicle license plates to help solve cases. The system is tied into a national database.
The camera reads vehicle license plates and instantly checks the plate number for any legal issues. The system will notify local police if the plates are associated with a crime or other type of issue such as a missing person report.
Montgomery County Sheriff Ryan Needham said he found out first-hand how the system is beneficial.
“We had a Silver Alert about a missing 80-year-old lady from the northern part of the county. She left in the middle of the night last winter,” Needham said. “We found her because her plates were read in northern Indiana. That is when I started to realize how good these cameras are.”
Since the cameras have been in use in the county, Needham said they have recovered a stolen vehicle and have been able to arrest others with outstanding warrants.
“It is amazing how these cameras work,” Needham said. “When a plate number triggers the system, dispatch is notified immediately. Our officers will respond when they get the notification. We have used the system several times already. The cameras help tremendously and we have been getting great results.”
