The Villa Park City Council Tuesday will discuss installing city-wide security cameras with an automated license plate recognition system for use by law enforcement.
The technology has come under fire from civil rights groups questioning the value of the data collected, how long it would be retained and the use of information on private citizens.
Pan, tilt and zoom cameras could be installed near the city’s entry and exit points or in residential neighborhoods. Additionally, fixed cameras that snap photos of license plates would be mounted to utility poles, traffic signals, patrol cars and speed radar trailers around town.
The system would check plate numbers against those on a list provided by the Department of Justice. If a match is found, deputies are alerted.
Security footage would be kept for a minimum of one year. If a crime is being investigated, the footage could be used as evidence.
A budget for the cameras is set at $50,000, with an additional $100,000 for maintenance.
The council will also continue its discussion of ending its contract with CalPERS, the state’s largest pension fund.
Villa Park City Council meets Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. To read the agenda, click here.