Midland Adding License Plate Recognition to Technology Capabilities

The Midland Police Department is looking to step up its video capabilities by adding a trio of new features that include automatic license plate recognition (ALPR), drone operations and livestreaming.

On Tuesday, Sept. 24, City Council approved a renewed agreement with Axon Enterprise for video equipment and services. The five-year contract totals $4.165 million to be paid out in equal installments over the term.

In the agreement:

• Body-worn cameras
• Dashcams
• Interview room cameras
• Automatic license plate recognition system
• Video cloud storage

According to an FAQ from Axon, ALPR is used with the company's Fleet 3 cameras and has a read accuracy equal to or greater than 90 percent, the Midland Reporter-Telegram reported.

Each year, $703,126.86 will come from the city's Information Technology Services Division and $129,873.14 will be paid via another fund.

This story was adapted from the Midland Reporter-Telegram.