Commissioners cut sheriff’s license plate reader budget
KAYE THORNBRUGH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 2 months AGO
Sheriff Robert "Bob" Norris
Kaye Thornbrugh is a second-generation Kootenai County resident who has been with the Coeur d’Alene Press for six years. She primarily covers Kootenai County’s government, as well as law enforcement, the legal system and North Idaho College. | July 25, 2025 1:09 AM
COEUR d’ALENE — Commissioners won’t continue to fund the automatic license plate reader software used by the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.
Last December, commissioners voted 2-1 to approve a one-year contract with Motorola for the software, which is used in 48 sheriff’s office patrol vehicles. This week, commissioners declined to budget the $24,000 it would cost to renew the contract for fiscal year 2026.
Norris pushed the board to approve funding to continue the contract this week, saying the license plate reader technology has helped investigators solve crimes in the seven months since its implementation.
“That is an officer safety feature,” he said during a Wednesday budget meeting. “That is an investigative tool. We have not had any breaches into that system ... It has not compromised anybody’s privacy whatsoever.”
During early budget talks in June, Commissioner Bruce Mattare said continuing the contract next year would be contingent on data illustrating the impact of the license plate readers since commissioners approved their use last December.
The sheriff’s office did provide data covering “a short period of time,” Norris said Wednesday.
“Even not having everyone fully trained on this, we had 419 inquiries into the system and we’ve had 19 successful investigative solves or nexuses to another crime,” he told commissioners.
Commissioner Leslie Duncan suggested that those numbers include data collected from stationary license plate readers, not just the license plate readers installed in patrol vehicles.
“Look, our deal was that we would give you a year and you’ll make the case for how it’s positively affected the community from a crime reduction standpoint,” Mattare said to the sheriff. “I think you should at least be given that year.”
While Mattare said he’s open to budgeting $24,000 for the contract, he said Norris needs to use data to “make the case to the people” on why automatic license plate readers are necessary.
Duncan and Commissioner Marc Eberlein supported cutting the funds from next year’s budget.
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