In the heart of South Baltimore, a community often troubled by carjackings and auto thefts is taking a stand with a tech-savvy approach. And our team at Leonardo is immensely proud to be part of the solution.
Several neighborhood associations—including the Riverside Neighborhood Association (RNA), South Baltimore Neighborhood Association (SBNA), Federal Hill Neighborhood Association (FHNA), and Federal Hill Mainstreet (FHMS)—secured a grant from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development to pay for the installation of our automatic license plate readers.
The Power of License Plate Readers
Leonardo's ELSAG® license plate reader solutions are highly accurate, thanks to advanced optical character recognition camera systems that capture license plate numbers and instantly compare them with millions of hot list records to identify vehicles of interest. If a suspect license plate number is read, audible and visual alarms alert officers in the vicinity within milliseconds of license plate capture.
In this case, the license plate readers are installed at key intersections in the south Baltimore peninsula.
“The best thing about it is that the district personnel will be able to monitor those cameras in real time as well,” Deputy Commissioner Monique Brown said in an article on WBAL.
The Power of Partnerships
“There’s a reason our community is one of the safest in Baltimore,” said Riverside Neighborhood Association president Rich Badmington, in the official press release. “It starts with residents watching out for themselves and their neighbors and supporting police. This technology is another important step in keeping us safe and secure.”
Echoing those sentiments, Brad O'Brien, Public Safety Chair for Federal Hill Neighborhood Association and Baltimore Police Department’s Southern District’s Community Relations Council President, said at the press conference: "The cameras that have been installed in our community are the result of the dedicated work of volunteers from multiple neighborhoods on the peninsula. Each of these neighbors have a story or an experience that led them to get engaged in the effort to address public safety issues in the community. This group of neighbors represent people who refuse to accept the current public safety reality as being an acceptable norm."
Further Reading & Media Coverage
For those interested in learning more about this initiative and its impact on South Baltimore, here is a list of related media coverage:
- Baltimore residents using technology to fight carjackings - WBAL-TV
- License plate readers to be installed in South Baltimore to help curb crime - CBS News
- Fed Hill adds license plate readers to combat carjackings - WMAR
- License Plate Readers Installed at Entrances/Exits to South Baltimore Peninsula - SouthBMore.com
This journey towards a safer community in South Baltimore is a shining example of how technology, when aligned with community efforts, can create a significant impact. It's not just about reducing crime rates; it's about restoring peace and confidence among residents. At Leonardo, we're honored to be a part of this positive change.
