Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Purdue University Installs License Plate Reading Cameras

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/02/22

The Purdue University Police Department in West Lafayette, Ind., recently announced that it is partnering with public safety technology company Flock Safety to install six automated license plate reading (ALPR) cameras around campus. A news release reports that the department has signed a one-year contract to test the Flock system, joining the Lafayette and West Lafayette police departments as law enforcement agencies deploying the technology.

“Incidents involving students being shot by Splat or BB or airsoft guns this past spring semester were difficult to investigate,” said PUPD Chief John Cox. “We often had video from our campuswide digital video system to give us basic vehicle information, but no license plate information could be obtained. The Flock system will allow us to search for vehicles based on a video and victim description and obtain a license plate number to use to continue the investigation.”

The Flock Safety ALPR cameras are designed to capture license plates and vehicle characteristics instead of people, according to the university news release. Plates associated with reported crimes—such as stolen vehicles or owners wanted on warrants as documented by state and national databases—trigger a real-time alert sent to officers. Vehicles associated with missing persons in AMBER or Silver Alerts also send notifications to law enforcement.

Purdue has also deployed an updated policy around the ALPR system’s usage. Data will not be sold or shared with third parties, and each vehicle search will require justification.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • Illinois District Boosts Security at High-School Stadium

    Richmond-Burton Community High School in Richmond, Ill., recently announced that it has completed the redesigned entrance to its high school stadium with a new focus on school security and community engagement, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers on the project as part of District #157’s year-long facilities master plan.

  • Miami University Approves New $242M Multipurpose Arena

    Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, recently announced that its Board of Trustees has approved construction of a new multipurpose arena at Cook Field, according to university news. The $242-million project will serve as a new centralized hub for student life and create space for economic development on campus.