License plate reader technology helps PD make quick arrest

By Olivia González-Britt

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    GROVER BEACH, California (KSBY) — New technology is being credited for helping police make a quick arrest this week after learning a suspect wanted out of Washington for child molestation was believed to be in Grover Beach.

“Using our license plate reader system, we were able to put an interest on that license plate, so we got an alert from our system that that car was in our city yesterday afternoon,” said Commander Bryan Millard, Grover Beach Police Department.

Commander Millard says officers were dispatched to 7th Street and Grand Avenue Wednesday afternoon for the high-risk stop.

Nearby construction workers, including Kyle Swieringa, saw it happen.

“We were across the street. When we looked over here, I saw that I was in the line of fire,” Swieringa said. “They pulled the suspect out and pulled him back to their car.”

Police say license plate reader cameras installed in 2023 led to the arrest of the suspect just one day after the notification from Ellensburg Police.

“We could still be out there looking,” Millard said.

He says the technology has already helped with several cases.

“We’ve been able to remove ten stolen vehicles and make arrests regarding those stolen vehicles in our community,” Millard said.

Resident Marissa Zambo says she’s glad it’s being used.

“I mean, if we didn’t have that system, they wouldn’t be able to catch the bad guy,” Zambo said.

The Grover Beach Police Department plans to enhance its operations further, possibly incorporating AI and other technologies.

“We’re looking at is what we call a real-time crime information center where we incorporate all kinds of technology into a single source room that becomes a hub for identifying trends,” Millard says.

There are 17 cameras placed in various locations throughout the city, which cost about $2,500 each. Millard says about half of the cameras were recently funded by a federal technology grant.

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