By Sarah Roebuck
Police1
OAKLAND, Calif. — Marking the halfway point of the California Highway Patrol’s four-month enforcement surge in Oakland, significant progress is being made in reducing crime, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced in a news release.
In just two months, CHP officers have made 329 arrests, recovered 606 stolen vehicles and seized 35 firearms during the East Bay Surge Operation. A key factor driving these results has been the completion of Flock Safety License Plate Recognition camera installations on state highways in and around Oakland, allowing officers to utilize the high-tech tools to track and apprehend criminals more effectively, according to the news release.
The Flock cameras allow for real-time crime analysis, improved resource allocation and enhanced officer safety, the news release states. Tools such as automated license plate readers (ALPRs), predictive analytics and the use of aerial drones have been central in identifying high-crime areas and deploying law enforcement personnel more effectively.
Cases solved with the help of Flock Safety cameras in two months:
On Sept. 7, CHP officers arrested two armed carjacking suspects after receiving an alert from their LPRs indicating the vehicle was near Fruitvale Avenue. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the suspects fled, sparking a pursuit that ended with their arrest.
Similarly, on Aug. 3, CHP used their LPRs to identify a vehicle allegedly involved in two separate freeway shootings, leading to the arrest of a suspect at his residence on Aug. 29.
Earlier in the summer, on July 1, CHP identified a suspect vehicle using LPRs after a road rage incident where shots were fired at another motorist. A neighboring agency was able to locate the vehicle and make an arrest just hours later.
Billy is an adjunct instructor for Combative Firearms Training, LLC providing handgun, patrol rifle and shotgun instructor training for law enforcement and private security instructors across the United States and Canada. He is a member of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA), the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors (IALEFI) and the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA). He can be reached at Billy@CombativeFirearms.com.
