BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — More license plate readers could be installed as early as next month through the Page-Rice Camera Initiative.
Formed by the Baton Rouge Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice Foundation, the Page-Rice Camera Initiative was created after the murders of 3-year-old Devin Page Jr. and LSU student Allison Rice.
Chairman of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Foundation Clay Young is part of the Page-Rice Camera Initiative.
“We’re going to be evolving the Page-Rice Camera Initiative,” said Young. “The cameras allow for law enforcement to have a presence where crime is high without having to physically be there because of the shortages.”
Due to the law enforcement shortage within the Baton Rouge area, Young and the team think it’s time to add another advancement. The organization is fundraising for nine more cameras, all with a license plate reader feature.
Central currently has 11 cameras placed at all entrances and exits of the small city. Next month, Police Chief Roger Corcoran said he will be receiving one of the new cameras.
“I’m all for it, give me a hundred of those cameras,” said Corcoran. “Every day we get these alerts, we get from three, to eight to 10 alerts a day from our license plate cameras.”
Corcoran said the cameras have solved several cases including kidnappings, stolen vehicles and hit and runs within Central. The cameras take pictures of each vehicle that passes through, which immediately goes into a crime database.
Corcoran allows other law enforcement agencies around the country to use his data because “crime travels.”
“It doesn’t stay in Baton Rouge, it doesn’t stay in Livingston, doesn’t stay in Ascension,” said Corcoran.
This Saturday marks one year since Rice’s death. Young said the cameras’ purpose is for the public to be involved in solving crimes, which helps in investigations.
Click here to learn more about the initiative.
