By Police1 Staff
ATLANTA — A study conducted by Flock Safety, in collaboration with independent criminology researchers from Texas Christian University and the University of Texas at Tyler, has unveiled significant findings regarding the effectiveness of License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology in law enforcement.
“As Flock Safety products have become more ubiquitous in the world of law enforcement, questions of effectiveness and usage are concerns of the public. To address these issues, it is important for independent research conducted by research universities to examine their usage and social impact,” said Johnny Nhan, Ph.D., Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies at Texas Christian University, in a press release issued by Flock Safety.
According to the study, for a typical law enforcement agency, the addition of one Flock Safety LPR camera per sworn officer is associated with a 9.1% increase in the clearance rate of crimes. Furthermore, an increase in the network of Flock customers within a 50-kilometer radius of an agency led to a 1% increase in clearance rates, highlighting the importance of broad access to Flock technology and collaboration among agencies.
The analysis, conducted from April to June 2023, involved an examination of crime clearance data across 123 diverse law enforcement agencies. The study aimed to measure the impact of Flock LPR technology on crime solving, considering both internal factors such as the number of devices and software usage, and external factors like agency size and demographic characteristics of the jurisdiction.
“When I founded this company, we hoped to make an impact on families, communities, and the officers that serve us every day, and two years ago, we set a lofty goal of helping communities solve 25% of reported crime in the US by the end of 2025,” said Garrett Langley, Founder and CEO of Flock Safety. “With this milestone, our principled product development, rapid agency partner growth, and unrelenting commitment to our mission, I have no doubt that we are in a position to one day, have an impact on 100% of this country’s reported crime.”
Further research is underway to explore the outcomes of LPR technology in greater detail, to offer a deeper understanding and more refined strategies for combating crime and ensuring community safety.
The full study is featured below and can be accessed on ResearchGate.