NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — On Friday, the chief of the Metro Nashville Police Department pushed for license plate readers once again while celebrating a decrease in reported crime for the first quarter of the year.
MNPD Chief John Drake and Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell spoke from the Office of Family Safety to highlight crime being down across all police precincts. According to Drake, violent crime is down by 18% and property crime is down by 20%.
When asked about LPRs, Drake once again said they were needed. He mentioned families of victims who have been killed and said he wished Nashville had LPRs to assist in those crimes. He also thought LPRs could help catch criminals in Nashville and prevent them from spilling over into surrounding cities.
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“In cities that have LPRs, the solvability rate, the clearance rates are up 30, 28%. In Nashville, it’s 5%,” Drake said. “…It’s a license plate reader. It doesn’t say who you are, who’s in it. It just reads your license plate. Everywhere you go outside of Nashville, you hit a license plate reader. It does not affect anyone unless you’re in a stolen vehicle, you committed a crime or what if you’re a missing person?”…