Niagara County using license plate readers to deter crime

By Benjamin Joe

Drivers may notice something new on their daily commute around Niagara County on the state right of ways: license plate readers.

While not overly large – just a pole with a small solar panel on it and a small camera – these newly installed devices will be running the license plates of passersby in the hope of catching criminals before they can do any more harm.

“This is a project that’s been going on for a couple years,” Sheriff Michael Filicetti said. “We’re using Homeland Security funds, grant money, and we came upon the project through Flock Safety to put 67 license plate readers around Niagara County.”

Filicetti said the cameras are not meant to be used to give tickets to ordinary drivers, but are “crime reduction” tools.

“The whole point of these plate readers is crime reduction,” he said. “They scan a license plate; they’re not looking at people’s faces; and basically, we’re looking for stolen vehicles. Missing persons. Wanted individuals. Anything that would trigger an alert.”

He noted the readers will give law enforcement an idea of where a stolen vehicle is in the county.

Wheatfield Supervisor Don MacSwan echoed Filicetti’s comments at Monday night’s regular Town Board meeting in Wheatfield.

“Just so everyone knows, these plate readers are not intended to check your registration,” he said. “They’re not intended to look at your inspections. These are strictly for fighting crime. If there’s a crime going on Niagara Falls Boulevard, maybe we’ll be able to find somebody fleeing from a crime scene. That’s all.”

Filicetti noted 10 of the license plate readers have been set up already, but the remaining 57 need to be approved by the individual municipalities, such as the Town of Wheatfield, to allow for the readers to be installed as per regulations through New York state.

“Part of this process is that anything going on a state route, state DOT (Department of Transportation) requires us to get permission by resolution from that township so we can put a license plate reader in that state right of way,” he said.

Filicetti said Wheatfield was not the only township that had such a resolution on its docket. His office has sent requests to “every town, city and village” throughout the county asking for a resolution to be approved to install the readers.

The 10 readers already operational are on county and municipal roads.

Filicetti said all 67 cameras will cost $172,000 and will be covered by grant money.

“That’s everything,” he said. “It covers the cost of permitting, licensing fees, equipment and any replacement. If something breaks on them, that includes any replacements. It also includes updates and upgrades.”