Chief Deputy Randy Moffitt brought a request for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office and Houston High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) for enhanced interdiction efforts at the Navajo County Board of Supervisors meeting on Feb. 13.
Moffitt shared that the Sheriff’s Office has been using two License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras for the last five years. “It is a technology that gives us the ability to locate and identify stolen vehicles,” said Moffitt, “as well as identifying suspect vehicles that have been involved in a crime.”
Houston HIDTA manages a server where the LPR data is stored. By entering into a MOU with Houston HIDTA, the Sheriff’s Office will have access to that data, as well as updated criminal information, hotlists for stolen vehicles and vehicles known to transport drugs or money.
Moffitt shared that before LPR cameras, deputies would have to manually look for license plates. But with the LPR, the plate number can be entered into the computer and the LPR will search to identify the vehicle. Once located, it is the responsibility of the deputy to track it down and identify whether it is the right suspect vehicle.
Moffitt further noted, “Today it is hard to find a win-win in what we do in law enforcement, but we have found a win-win for our agency in our LPR.”
By entering into the MOU, there will be a sharing of information between the two agencies, linking them nationally across Interstate 40 and throughout Navajo County, enabling the deputies to identify more violent fugitives, more drug smugglers and more stolen vehicles. Additionally, the Sheriff’s Office will save $1,000 annually on the maintenance cost of the two LPR units, as there will be a discount on LPR software warranties and maintenance. The board voted to approve the MOU.
