South Bend PD’s License Plate Readers Assist in 247 Investigations In Two Years

By: Giselle Valentin

Posted: Sep 9, 2023 10:11 AM EDT

NOW: South Bend PD’s License Plate Readers Assist in 247 Investigations In Two Years

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The South Bend Police Department released statistics detailing how their Flock Safety license plate reading camera are keeping residents safe. Since partnering up with Flock Safety two years ago, South Bend PD has used it in 247 cases. These include 13 homicide investigations, 114 motor vehicle thefts, 23 aggravated assaults with a firearm, 49 thefts, and 11 apprehensions of a wanted suspect.

“It’s just astounding and really gratifying that to see the number of crimes and the number of victims that have been able to be helped with this technology,” Flock Safety Spokeswoman Holly Beilin said.

Flock Safety is a public safety operating system that produces license plate recognition cameras, gunshot detection systems and video security systems that collect objective evidence to solve crime.

Lieutenant Kyle Dombrowski says it definitely makes the job easier and it's another way the police can work with the community.

“But having that technology where officers can’t be there 24/7, we can have that. It's a game changer for us to give our officers to be the most efficient and effective in their daily duties,” Dombrowski said.

He says although technology doesn’t solve the problems, it does give the department the right tools.

“Here at South Bend PD, we’re very innovative in trying to make us the most efficient and the most effective. One of those things we understand is technology can help us but what’s the right piece of technology? And Flock Safety and their LPR technology was one of those vendors where we thought we could use that,” Dombrowski said.

Beilin says the company works with 175 agencies in Indiana and it connects people with the community.

“Of course, it’s the men and women that work with South Bend PD that are actually doing this work. But they’re able to use the Flock Safety as a force multiplier to help these investigations collect objective evidence and solve crime. And what we hope is to reduce crime in South Bend,” Beilin said.