MNPD pushes for license plate readers after deadly shooting investigation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said that access to license plate readers (LPRs) would have been valuable for detectives as they investigated the killing of 34-year-old Alyssa Lokits.

“I hope that our city realizes that this is a very valuable tool that every county that touches Davidson County has them, including Belle Meade, and it’s something that we desperately need,” MNPD Chief John Drake said at a Tuesday press conference.

Metro tested LPRs in a 2023 pilot program, but it ended in July 2023. The city hasn’t utilized LPRs since. News 2 asked Metro Councilmember Delisha Porterfield about LPRs and other technology that the MNPD wants to use in crimefighting.

”We hear from people that are saying that they want the police to have more tools,” Porterfield told News 2. “We also hear from a lot of people that are saying that the government should not be surveilling its people.”

Part of the reason we do not have LPRs is that Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Metro Council did not fund the program for 2024. That’s something Council member Joy Styles has said needs to change .

“We are not tracking your movements if you go to the bakery every morning at 7 a.m., we are not interested. We’re not looking at that, right?” Styles said. “What we’re doing is checking plates — ultimately, this is what we would be doing — to be sure that you’re not in the national crime database; you haven’t stolen the car; you haven’t stolen the plate; you’re not a missing person.”

News 2 reached out to the mayor’s office about what’s next for LPRs in Nashville:

MNPD and the Department of Finance are in discussion regarding procurement of potential LPR vendor contracts. LPRs are not an inexpensive tool for policing. This was a tight budget year and funding was not yet allocated for this use, rather funding was prioritized for improving pay for our MNPD officers and staff. The number of LPR cameras will ultimately depend on funding. Simultaneously, we are also working to finalize any questions around LPR policies. We want to ensure these are deployed with the protection of Nashvillians’ and their data at the forefront. LPRs are one tool under consideration by Metro currently, and we are closely coordinating with both MNPD and representatives from the community how we deploy technology in a responsible manner.

Statement from the mayor’s office

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