36 New License Plate Readers Coming to Rockford, City Already Has 64

Slow down!!!

The City of Rockford has purchased 36 new license plate scanners...You know those cameras attached to poles, and signs that catch you doing naughty stuff? MyStateline

The City of Rockford already has 64 of these cameras placed around town. They are able to scan and read your license plate.

"(the license plate scanners) will not only help officers find vehicles after shootings take place, but aid in catching criminals committing other violent crimes." Rockford Police Department Chief Carla Redd

The funding for these scanners are covered by the Rockford Police Department’s operating budget. They will cost the Rockford tax payers $284,900 for the first year and $251,000 each year thereafter.

The reason for getting more of these is because of gaps in coverage with the original camera allotment. 

The Finance and Personnel Committee got things rolling at Monday's City Council Meeting with ordering some more of these bad boys. So it looks like Rockford will be well covered and pretty much watched from every angle coming soon.

The City of Rockford is working with Flock Safety, out of Atlanta, Georgia who supplies these cameras. Rockford will get them, 6-months, no-cost trial, but this is when/where the coverage gaps were discovered, thus the new order for 36 more.

Back in June of 2022 Rockford got into "gunshot detection." The gunshot detection system partially overlaps with the ShotSpotter detection system which was currently in use, allowing Rockford Police to compare data from the two different cameras.