WYOMING, Mich. — In an attempt to curb violence, the city of Wyoming has approved funding to purchase and install cameras that will record license plate numbers.
In the upcoming months, 12 new cameras from Flock Safety will be installed around Wyoming. The cameras do not record inside the vehicle or use facial recognition technology, and license plate numbers will be deleted after 30 days, unless the license plate is connected to a crime and stored for investigation purposes.
This decision comes after an increase in crime across Wyoming, according to Wyoming Department of Public Safety Captain Eric Wiler.
"Although homicides for 2021 are down from an all-time high in 2020, we are still experiencing a significant increase in shooting incidents," Wiler said in a staff report to the Wyoming City Council. "To date, there have been 48 shots fired complaints and 24 shootings where a person was struck by a bullet."
As part of this agreement with Flock Safety, the Kent County Sheriff's Office is also receiving 25 cameras to increase collaboration across law enforcement agencies.
"Persons associated with violent crimes are not confined to jurisdictional boundaries and often travel to or from the City of Wyoming in a vehicle," Wiler said in the report. "The ability to collaborate with other law enforcement agencies to increase our investigative abilities is crucial to providing a safer community."
Wiler also said that since the cameras only record the exterior of the vehicle and the license plate, that they provide "objective, unbiased evidence" to be investigated.
With funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, the cameras will cost $30,000 and require an additional $30,000 in maintenance each year after the first year. However, the city can return the cameras after a 60-day trial at no cost.
Wyoming police approved body cameras in September. Just last week, they approved buying 3 more for their new officers that were hired. The cameras are expected to cost the city $27,061 over the next nine years.
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