In its meeting on May 29, the Greenbelt City Council made two proclamations and conducted the last public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2025 proposed budget, but a large part of the meeting concerned awarding purchases, with two for the Greenbelt Police Department creating much discussion by council.
The purchase of two trucks for Public Works with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding was approved. Public Works requested to replace a 1993 rollback (tow truck) for a cost of $143,613 and a refuse compactor (trash truck) for $312,405. In response to council’s questions about environmental sensitivity, Public Works’ Assistant Director for Parks Brian Townsend explained that he had investigated electric trucks but found them to be unreliable and expensive and that the infrastructure was not yet in place for their use. Councilmembers Kristen Weaver and Jenni Pompi asked about an EPA grant for such a purchase. Assistant City Manager Timothy George responded that he had investigated the grant but that a condition of the grant required the purchase of three trucks. Weaver asked if it would be possible to partner with another city to make use of the grant; George said he would look into the possibility.
Authorization for the city manager to execute a contract using ARPA funds for repairs to the headwall, culvert and storm drain pipes on Crescent Road near Greenhill Road was also approved unanimously. Both sides of the street are affected, Public Works Assistant Director Brian Kim explained, so repairs may take about two weeks, depending on the weather. The repairs are necessary because age and erosion have damaged the existing structure. The approved contract will be with Next Day Concrete for a total cost of $33,800.
Much of the meeting was taken up with council’s concerns with two purchase requests by the Police Department. Chief Richard Bowers, with Deputy Chief Timothy White present on Zoom, proposed the purchase of police radios and license plate readers. Bowers stressed the “interoperability” of the new radios in aiding communications between the Greenbelt Police and other municipalities in the DMV area in a regional radio system established in 2009.
As Prince George’s County police are transitioning to the new technology of the proposed radios, Bowers stated the importance of Greenbelt’s adoption of the new, “smart” radios for the Greenbelt force to be compatible with and effectively communicate with the county and other police agencies. Thirty radios are requested now but 40 more would be needed to equip all officers. City Manager Josué Salmerón stated he would investigate other sources of funding such as county, state or federal sources for the additional radios. Mayor Emmett Jordan asked about the lifespan of the new radios and the cost of the proposed maintenance contract. Bowers replied that the new radios are anticipated to have a life expectancy of 10-15 years and the maintenance contract would need to be renewed every year. Weaver expressed concern with the “significant cost” of the radios and associated subscription and maintenance costs. Bowers and White emphasized that the current radios are “obsolete” and this proposed purchase is a top priority for them. A motion to approve the purchase of the radios for a total cost of $262,408.96 was approved unanimously.
Bowers and White then presented their request for a license plate reading camera system, to be purchased by ARPA funds designated by council for the purpose. The requested system includes 14 license plate readers (LPRs) and the associated infrastructure, installation, licensing costs and cost of transmittal of data to a state repository for a cost of $174,498.70. Bowers explained that the LPRs are a “powerful tool” that would aid the police in the prevention, detection and investigation of crimes. Using optical character recognition, the LPRs would take a photo of the license plates of cars passing through an intersection in which an LPR is used. Bowers has identified 14 “key intersections” for the initial placement of the LPRs but the devices are moveable so could be relocated to another area. Only law enforcement agencies with a documented need to know a specific piece of information can seek permission to access the collected data in the state repository through a written request. Data will be stored at the state facility for one year, then purged.
White explained, in response to a question by Councilmember Silke Pope, that two portable LPRs are currently in use in Greenbelt and have proven successful, especially in locating stolen cars. Weaver requested a list of the intersections at which the LPRs will initially be placed. Jordan asked about the accuracy of the current LPRs and whether other local jurisdictions have utilized LPRs. White stated that the LPRs currently in use have been used for about 15 years and accuracy has improved. He emphasized, in response to Councilmember Danielle
McKinney’s question, that the LPRs are “a force multiplying tool” and that other local jurisdictions such as College Park, Bowie and Riverdale Park utilize LPRs. To Jordan’s further questions, he answered that the LPRs will be used only in public areas and will be mounted on existing infrastructure.
Councilmember Rodney Roberts opined that LPRs are “ineffective as a deterrent” and are a waste of tax dollars. He suggested that the police find a better way of protecting residents. Salmerón related the report of the Public Safety Advisory Committee in which the committee expressed its concerns about the use of LPRs, based on its review of a Supreme Court case in which LPRs played a role.
Resident Bob Rand expressed concern about the equity of the proposed placement of the LPRs. The LPRs may have a disproportionate impact on neighborhoods in which more people of color reside and in which population density is higher than in the center city. He requested equitable deployment of the LPRs and transparency in use of the data. Bowers responded that the intersections were chosen for use of the LPRs based on crime data analysis. Resident Bill Orleans agreed with Roberts and suggested Bowers hire more officers instead of using LPRs. Bowers responded that he strives for “efficiency and effectiveness” by using the LPRs. The purchase of the LPRs was approved by a 4 to 3 vote. Bowers promised to provide council with a map of the proposed sites for the LPRs in three to four weeks and to place an information sheet about them on the police website in two weeks.