The story begins at a small business in Mira Mesa, where an armed suspect walked in, pointed a gun at the store’s clerk, and disappeared just as quickly — leaving behind only a grainy surveillance video clip and a shaken community. 

San Diego Police Department detectives had clear images of the suspects, but the getaway car’s license plate was unreadable, and the case stalled for days. This is the kind of moment that, not long ago, might have led nowhere. 

But the break came from the Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) network our city deployed last year. A detective reviewed camera data from the surrounding area and spotted a single, crucial match: a vehicle with the same make, model, and distinctive features seen in the surveillance video. The system had captured it passing through the neighborhood around the time of the robbery. That evidence became the thread investigators needed. 

Patrol officers used the ALPR system to narrow their search and pinpoint recent detections. On Sept. 10, just over a week after the crime, officers located the vehicle exactly where the data suggested it would be. They moved in, detained the suspect, and turned over evidence that ultimately led to a conviction.  

This is the kind of precise, fast, and accountable policing we envisioned when we brought this technology back online in San Diego. And in this case, it meant an armed suspect was taken off the streets before he could strike again. 

Some folks want to end this technology, but it is a proven tool to keep our city safe.  

Public safety is my top priority. Safe streets, clean neighborhoods, and thriving communities — that’s what we’re delivering for San Diego thanks in part to ALPR technology.