Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton is asking the Urban County Council to expand the number of license plate reading cameras. The city currently has 25 cameras in areas listed as high crime. That has been part of a pilot program. The mayor is seeking approval to position another 75 cameras along Lexington streets, bringing the total to 100 cameras. Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said they would be set up all over town.
“It’s gonna be all over the City I would think. Just putting them in one area is not going to help us. I think putting them all over the City in different places, different access points, would serve our purpose better,” said Weathers.
During Monday’s news conference, the mayor spoke about crime-solving data. That includes recovering 95 vehicles, valued at $1.4 million, 11 missing persons located: and filing 455 charges.
Lexington Police Commander Matthew Greathouse said the technology has played a big role in the recovery of stolen vehicles.
“Recoveries went way up and now we’ve started seeing somewhat of a plateau, cause we want people in the public to understand that if they drive a stolen vehicle around Lexington, there’s a high probability that you’re gonna get caught and you’re going to get prosecuted. So, hopefully we would see those cameras just as a preventative to drive those numbers down,” said Greathouse.
Gorton said the installation would cost just over $236 thousand dollars and that is in the Council-approved budget. The matter will be put before Council members Tuesday.
**In a sea of partisan news, WEKU is your source for public service, fact-based journalism. Monthly sustaining donors are the top source of funding for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation.
