To: Board of Supervisors
From: David O. Livingston, Sheriff-Coroner
Report Title: Rekor Recognition Systems, Inc.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Sheriff-Coroner, or designee, to execute a contract with Rekor Recognition Systems, Inc., including mutual indemnification, for the installation of automatic license plate reader cameras in County Service Area P-6 and provision of a hosted software system, in an amount not to exceed $22,320, for the term March 1, 2024, through February 28, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this request will result in up to $22,320 in contractual service expenditures over a 2-year period and will be funded by the County General Fund.
BACKGROUND:
Rekor Recognition Systems, Inc. provides automatic license plate reader cameras with 24/7 monitoring for homes, businesses and neighborhoods to protect against property crime, violent crime, stolen vehicles and more. In May of 2022, an opportunity to receive grant funding to purchase cameras for the East Contra Costa County Area (P-6) became available. This equipment is fundamental to maintaining the safety of Sheriff's Office personnel, civilians and suspects alike. In recent years, crime rates have risen compromising the safety and security of our communities, especially rural areas such as East Contra Costa County. Individuals often target these areas to commit various crimes such as theft, burglary and more violent crimes. East Contra Costa County is unique because it borders three other counties, including Sacramento County, San Joaquin County and Alameda County. This often makes East Contra Costa County vulnerable to individuals coming into the area and then returning to their respective counties to avoid detection and apprehension.
The lack of cameras in rural areas can make preventing or solving these crimes challenging for patrol deputies and investigators. The use of ALPR technology has become commonplace in many Bay Area communities, including several areas and cities in Contra Costa County. The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff would deploy additional fixed ALPRs in strategic areas of East Contra Costa County as a force multiplier and investigative tool to support law enforcement and security efforts with the community. The license plate information is then queried against various databases for wanted or stolen vehicles, missing and endangered persons and other categories. The installation of ALPR cameras would significantly increase our ability to prevent, respond to and solve crimes within all areas of Contra Costa County. Providing additional cameras would help enhance public safety by protecting the citizens of Contra Costa County and the greater Bay Area. Twelve (12) cameras were purchased with State Homeland Security Grant Program FY2020 funds.
This service agreement is for the installation of the twelve (12) automatic license plate reader cameras in County Service Area P-6 and the provision of a hosted software system. This service agreement includes a mutual indemnification provision.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the Board does not approve, the twelve (12) ALPR cameras that were purchased with State Homeland Security Grant Program FY2020 funds will not be installed by Rekor and the Office of the Sheriff will not have access to their software system. We will also not have additional measures in place to deter and solve crime in East Contra Costa County.