TAYLOR, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — Taylor police are introducing high-tech cameras equipped with license plate readers, which are already helping them with important investigations.
It also contributes to filling a workforce shortage.
The Taylor Police Department has the budget to employ 86 officers, but finding them is difficult, which is why there are currently only 74 officers on staff.
Andres Gutierrez/CBS Detroit
Meanwhile, they jump when opportunities arise, such as the Flock camera system.
“We identified and arrested multiple armed robbery suspects due to the Flock LPRs; we shot suspects and fraud rings and recovered approximately 60 stolen cars,” said Lt. Jeff Adamisin of the Taylor Police Department.
The cameras equipped with license plate readers are called the ‘Falcons’ and send an alert to an officer’s computer when they get a car they are looking for.
“It shows a photo of the license plate, it shows a photo of the car and it shows the map location of where that vehicle is so the officers can position themselves to intercept that vehicle. These cameras do not take pictures of the occupants of the vehicle. We do not know the race and gender of the driver at all,” Adamisin said.
The cameras have become a force multiplier for the department.
During the NFL draft, Homeland Security teamed up with Taylor PD to capture sex predators.
Officers posed as minors online and police say seven people tried to meet them, including:
- Johnathan Alejandro Guiterrez-Aguilera, a 24-year-old Venezuelan national, is accused of transporting persons for prostitution.
- Joseu Rafael Semprum Bolivar, an 18-year-old Venezuelan national, is accused of transporting persons for prostitution.
- Ryan Richard Davis, a 44-year-old, is charged with child sexual abuse and soliciting children for immoral purposes.
- Craig William Newby, a 30-year-old, is charged with child sexual abuse and soliciting children for immoral purposes.
- Austin Sheldon, a 24-year-old, is charged with child sexual abuse and soliciting children for immoral purposes.
- Branden Austin, a 27-year-old accused of transporting persons for prostitution.
Taylor police say the three men arrested for attempting to engage in child exploitation have all been charged with child sexual abuse, soliciting children for immoral purposes, using a computer to commit a crime and using a computer to commit a crime.
All have been charged in Wayne County.
The cameras played a crucial role in identifying and tracking the suspects.
‘We knew this person was from Brighton. So we were able to track that vehicle as it headed south or east. However, you might want to call it “down 96.” We could track that by looking at these license plates. I have done that. I don’t have to deploy a six- or eight-person surveillance crew to track them. I don’t have those agents. And it can be very dangerous to police. So we tracked that vehicle as it entered our city. That’s what John Blair of the Taylor Police Department said.
The 50 cameras in Taylor cost about $150,000.
“This system locates wanted people, bad people in society, and it gives us a new pair of eyes,” Adamisin said.
