Ridgeland adding 10 license plate readers

RIDGELAND — Another 10 license plate reading cameras are being installed bringing the total number to 30 here.

Police Chief Brian Myers told the mayor and aldermen last week that the cameras have been “quite effective.”

“These cameras are a very useful tool,” Myers said.

On Dec. 7, the Mayor and Board of Aldermen approved the purchase of 10 additional Flock Safety Automated License Plate Reading cameras at Myers request.

With the additional 10 the city will have 30 cameras total. Myers said they hoped to have the cameras up within the next two weeks. He said they would be installed at southern entrances into the city.

Contracts with the Georgia-based company are for two years. Myers said the total cost of the cameras is $75,300 for this year.

Former Police Chief John Neal started the program with eight cameras in April of 2020. Last October the city expanded to 12 more cameras. 

The cameras aid police in solving crimes involving vehicles.

“While we don’t track numbers, we have used them to help solve stolen auto cases, aggravated assault cases and they were beneficial in the investigation of the April 2021 murder on I-55 near the Renaissance,” Neal said last year.

According to Flock promotional material, the cameras are successful at assessing authorities in reducing crime because roughly 70 percent of crimes involve a vehicle.