Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The Green Oak Township Police Department has received an Automatic License Plate Reader grant that will aid authorities and close gaps in the county-wide system.

The Police Department brought forth a proposal to purchase an Automatic License Plate Reader or ALPR, after being awarded a grant for $20,800 from the Department of Homeland Security. The township board approved a request at a recent meeting to approve the contract and related equipment, and to accept the grant.

The department did not have a program currently, although surrounding county agencies do, as well as the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office. It seeks to enhance the already established program within Livingston County that has been in operation for several years.

A memo states the grant will fund one location and help provide coverage in a weak spot as part of a county cohesive system. That’s in front of Fire Station 82 off Grand River, west of Pleasant Valley Road, on a pole owned by AT&T.

Clerk Michael Sedlak told WHMI this will enhance the county-wide system and the nice part is that the department got the grant to accomplish it - so it ends up costing the township less than $10,000 to install the camera in the township. He said the ALPR’s are put in place when looking for certain license plates for activities such as missing or lost people and those types of things.

Sedlak noted there were a couple of spots that weren’t covered by the county system that now will be covered by the Green Oak system and tie in with the county.

More information is included in the board meeting packet. That link is provided.