I say yes! This is a brilliant idea. You would think that crime rates might drop by installing police-run cameras capturing license plate photos in the Lansing area.

Currently there are at least 35 cameras set up throughout the city of Kalamazoo taking pictures of license plates.

Let's say an eye witness spotted a car that just left a crime scene and they give a pretty good description of that vehicle and the license plate number, that's exactly why these police-run cameras can be so helpful.

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I think it's about time we do something like this throughout the city of downtown Lansing. But I wouldn't stop there, they should install cameras at all traffic lights, gas stations, businesses, schools, etc.

Just think, these police cameras would come in handy at Lansing area gas stations too. This would be the perfect way to catch thieves who install credit card skimmers.

How do the police-run cameras work? Mlive.com tells us:

When police get a vehicle description from witnesses to a shooting or other crime, they can look at every car matching the description from the area, get the plate number and then identify who was there, Boysen said.

Even with crime rates extremely high in Chicago these days, perhaps if they installed more of these cameras, police agencies would be able to locate people who are breaking the law and put them in jail.

I think this is the way to go by using these police-run cameras. Not only are they using them in the city of Kalamazoo, but private owned apartment buildings along with other agencies have started the process as well.

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