City Council Planning Sessions

Monday, Jan. 23, 2023 I. Call to Order The Wheaton City Council Planning Session was called to order at 6:56 p.m. by Mayor Suess. The following were: Physically Present: Mayor Suess Councilman Barbier Councilwoman Bray-Parker Councilman Brown Councilwoman Fitch Councilwoman Robbins Councilman Weller Absent: None City Staff Present: Michael Dzugan, City Manager John Duguay, Assistant City Manager William Murphy, Chief of Police Princeton Youker, Deputy Chief of Police Brian Gabryel, Police Lieutenant Halie Cardinal, Public Relations Coordinator II. Public Comment There was no public comment. III. Approval of Planning Session Minutes – January 9, 2023 The City Council approved the January 9, 2023 City Council Planning Session Minutes. IV. Automated License Plate Recognition System (ALPR) City Manager Michael Dzugan stated that three representatives of the Wheaton Police Department were in attendance to present an initiative that would utilize license plate recognition cameras to be placed at various locations across the City with the goal of enhancing public safety. Chief of Police William Murphy stated that the Wheaton Police Department has been considering implementing a license plate recognition system for several years. He stated that the advantages of this system are tremendous and will change the way in which police work is performed. Police Lieutenant Brian Gabryel stated that through using ALPR, the Wheaton Police Department will leverage technology; elevate responsiveness, efficient services; and enhance community safety. He stated that the department conducted an analysis of the relationship between residents and non-residents during custodial arrests in Wheaton. Of the 2,070 arrests during the analysis period of 2019 to 2022, 65% of the arrestees provided a residential address outside of the City limits. Of felony arrests, 64% were committed  Monday, Jan. 23, 2023 CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES by non-residents. Lieutenant Gabryel stated implementing ALPR technology at major intersections would provide Wheaton law enforcement with a force-multiplying, objective tool to help solve these types of crimes by capturing potential evidence without compromising individual privacy. He stated that the technology consists of a high-resolution digital camera with an infrared filter to capture images of vehicle registrations. As the vehicle passes through the view of the camera, a picture is taken, and the image and metadata are captured in a secure database. Encrypted data files include the image of the vehicle; license plate; make and color of the vehicle; camera location; date; and time of the image. The technology is not capable of facial recognition and does not collect information on the driver or vehicle occupants. He stated that in order for law enforcement to access any personally identifying information, officers would still need to take the information gathered from ALPR data and perform a separate search using the Police Department’s existing databases, which are outside of the ALPR system. He stated that the City of Wheaton would own the footage obtained in the ALPR system, all footage would be automatically deleted after 30 days unless it is a part of an active investigation, and the system includes an audit trail as to which officers are using the data and the reason behind the inquiry. He stated that the locations of the cameras would be determined in collaboration with the vendor to maximize device efficiency, as the equipment is solar-powered. He stated that the Wheaton Police Department’s policy on ALPR technology would include requirements that it can only be used by official law enforcement personnel, users would complete mandatory training, and information must be verified through Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS) prior to taking action. Also, the Police Department would perform monthly audits and create an annual report. In response to a Council question, Police Lieutenant Gabryel stated that through Flock Safety, the technology proposed for this ALPR, 30-day data retention is standard. In response to a Council question, Police Lieutenant Gabryel stated that there is no workaround for vehicles using a device or material that prevents a license plate from being read, but the technology captures an image of the vehicle. In response to a Council question, Police Lieutenant Gabryel stated that if data used as a part of a case file is more than 30 days old, law enforcement would save the information in a separate web-based system for evidence storage. In response to a Council question, Police Lieutenant Gabryel stated that the vendor would install and maintain the cameras. If a camera is not operational, the Wheaton Police Department would have access to 24-hour customer service with the vendor. The cameras are a stand-alone, fixed structure and not attached to streetlights. In response to a Council question, Police Lieutenant Gabryel stated that the Wheaton Police Department has a disciplinary system in place for misuse. In response to a Council question, Police Lieutenant Gabryel stated that in terms of private parties requesting data such as through a FOIA request, the footage would only be used by law enforcement and these requests would be managed on a case-by-case basis. V. City Council/Staff Comments There were no City Council/Staff comments.  Monday, Jan. 23, 2023 CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES VI. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Halie Cardinal