GIRARD — The Girard Police Department has added license plate-reading cameras to its equipment to help combat crime.

Safety / Service Director Jerry Lambert said six automatic license plate-reading cameras were installed on North State, South State and East Liberty streets.

He said the cameras are not used for speeding vehicles, but to help locate stolen vehicles and for finding vehicles with drivers who might have been involved in a crime.

Police Chief John Norman said the cameras cost $2,500 each from Blue Line Solutions. The total cost for the cameras, installation, software and hardware is $21,000. Norman said the city entered into a three-year contract for the technology.

He said computer screens and reader monitors placed in cruisers and at the police department connect with the state’s database.

Norman said there also will be a yearly update and maintenance fee when the devices need checked.

Officials said the automated license plate readers are high-speed, computer-controlled camera systems that typically are mounted on street poles. The devices automatically capture all license plate numbers that come into view, along with the location, date and time. The data, which include photographs of the vehicle and sometimes its driver and passengers, then is uploaded to a central server.

Liberty is one of the local communities using such cameras. The township acquired six for the police department in 2022.

Trustees entered into an agreement with the Flock Safety for the cameras, which will cost $17,500 for the first year and $15,500 for the second year. The cost will be paid from the township’s drug enforcement fund.

OPWC FUNDING

In other business, council approved seeking Ohio Public Works Commission state capital improvement program / transportation improvement program funds for two proposed projects. The requests were submitted to Eastgate Regional Council of Governments.

Lambert said one is for a waterline project on Mosier Road and the other is to upgrade a pump station on Tibbetts Wick Road.

Lambert said the Mosier Road bridge project involves installing a waterline under Interstate 80 below the bridge. The project cost is $527,000, with the city paying $242,000 and the OPWC paying $284,000.

He said the Tibbetts Wick Road project is $701,000, with the city’s share $322,000 and OPWC at $338,000.

“These two projects are critical and we hope to get the funding to move forward,” Lambert said.

Lambert also reported on several road projects, including work on Keifer Road starting Monday. Paving of various roads in the city will be done this week.