A Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputy maintains patrol on Soquel Drive near 41st Avenue in Soquel Wednesday morning as part of a ramped up response to stepped up violence in the area. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/Pajaronian)
LIVE OAK — In response to increased gun-related violence along the Soquel Drive corridor between Highway 1 and 41st Avenue, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is considering the temporarily deploying a stationary Automated License Plate Reader to generate investigative leads and prevent future acts of violence.
The Sheriff’s Office does not own or plan on purchasing an ALPR, Sgt. Brian Cleveland said.
If the Sheriff’s Office moves forward with the temporary deployment of an ALPR, the unit will be on loan from the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, a government program that helps safeguard communities by serving as a security nexus through training on criminal threats, improved information sharing, and criminal intelligence analysis.
“The Sheriff’s Office recognizes that the use of surveillance technology to protect the public must be balanced with the need to protect civil rights and liberties,” Cleveland said.
The Sheriff’s Office will host a public meeting this evening, at 5:30 p.m. at the Sheriff’s Office Community Room, 5200 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, to provide additional details, answer questions and receive feedback. The Sheriff’s Office will provide a Surveillance Impact Report and a copy of the NCRIC Automated License Plate Reader Policy at the meeting.
