License plate readers will be installed at both intersections at the North Allegheny Senior High School on Perry Highway with the school board agreeing to split the cost with the McCandless Police Department.
The total cost to the district is $11,000, according to the board vote.
This covers about half of the installation cost at the senior high’s two entrances, according to John Schwend, town manager for McCandless.
The license plate readers are being placed at intersections throughout the town as part of a traffic device control program by McCandless officials.
The cameras already were set to be installed at these entrances regardless of the board vote, but agreeing to split the cost lets the school also be privy to the information collected.
“This safety initiative reflects a strong and collaborative partnership with the McCandless Police Department. By working together, we can share resources, reduce costs for the district and provide access to a broader regional network of LPR technology. This collaboration helps us proactively address potential safety concerns,” said North Allegheny police Chief Eric Harpster.
The partnership gives both parties access to the database.
The primary benefit of LPR technology is early awareness and being proactive instead of reactive, giving officers valuable time to assess the situation, coordinate with partner agencies, and respond appropriately. Its use is limited to legitimate public safety purposes, and all alerts are subject to verification and oversight to ensure appropriate and responsible use, he said.
“The safety and security of our students, staff, and visitors will always remain our top priority,” Harpster said.
The database is managed by a third-party vendor, which retains video from these intersection cameras for a period of time.
The McCandless Police Department does not maintain any database of information regarding the license plate cameras. It’s a web-based secure site where subscribing police departments must access video from specific intersections when conducting investigations, Schwend said.
Once installation is complete on the current project, there should be about 11 intersections in McCandless that have camera coverage, according to Schwend.
School board approval was not unanimous, with two of the seven school board members, Paige Hardy and Dr. Robert Gibbs, voting against the measure at their March 15 voting meeting.
“LPRs are part of a powerful surveillance technology, and I understand why law enforcement likes them. They’re very powerful. But they also have their problems,” said Gibbs, during the school board work session March 4.
Potential misreading of licenses could mistakenly target the wrong individual, or misuse is possible by those who may have access to information in order to track people that shouldn’t be tracked, he said.
“We are a school system. We are not an extension of local law enforcement. I feel that as a school system, I really can’t support us participating in a system that I feel could be potentially be used or misused in ways that could cause significant harm to members of our community,” he said.
While he acknowledged the safety benefits, he felt these are smaller in comparison to the potential harm that could occur to community members.
School board director Elizabeth Blackburn felt the safety benefit for the students outweighed any potential misuse and that the North Allegheny Police Department will use the readers appropriately.
“Anything that allows our police force to ensure safety better is a great thing,” she said.
School board President Elizabeth Warner agreed Gibbs had valid points but said access to a license plate reader database can help protect students.
“I consider through the lens of how can I best protect the safety of our students. Cameras at NASH are going up regardless of what is happening, whether we like it or not,” she said.
The company of the LPRs ensured the school district in writing that they do not share information with outside agencies, Warner said.