COEUR d'ALENE — The Coeur d'Alene City Council approved funding Tuesday for seven license plate reader cameras and related hardware.

License Plate Reader, or LPR, systems are used by law enforcement agencies for crime prevention and apprehension.

The Coeur d'Alene Police Department has used LPR technology since 2007. It "has aided in a variety of criminal activities including homicide," according to a staff report.

The information gathered by LPRs is stored in a database, which can be used for tracking stolen vehicles, identifying vehicles associated with criminal activity or finding wanted or missing persons.

Coeur d'Alene police plan to use LPRs at primary intersections that were chosen "due to traffic patterns and crime analytics," according to the report.

One camera is estimated at $33,980, which will be paid for through a Justice Assistance Grant that was already awarded.

Another system for a second site is estimated at $62,450 and was already in the police budget.

Police said LPRs are effective crime-fighting tools.

"Stationary or 'fixed' sites allow for higher number of reads, recognition, and 'hits' in the event of criminal activity," the staff report said. "The use of this data can also be used to find criminal trends not only in driving pattern but nefarious activity like changing the appearance of a vehicle."

The council approved the purchase of seven LPR Cameras, communication boxes, mounting hardware, warranty, licensing and technical services associated with installation from Motorola Solutions, doing business as Vigilant.

Police began searching for a new LPR vendor following two disruptions in connectivity to regional databases, the report said.

When police switched to Vigilant in 2021, it expanded its regional capabilities. It has been able to connect to other agencies throughout the U.S. to help with investigations.