The Progress asked the Scottsdale Police Department to provide examples of how it has used the Flock camera system.
The license plate readers are connected to SPD’s Real Time Crime Center, where technicians utilize a variety of high-tech tools, including the Flock license-plate readers.
“One of the clearest examples occurred in February 2024 and involved Raad Almansoori,” responded Sgt. Allison Sempsis.
Almansoori was accused of violent attacks against women in Phoenix and was a person of interest in a New York City homicide.
After a violent attack in Surprise, information about a stolen vehicle associated with Almansoori was shared with law-enforcement agencies across the Valley, Sempsis said.
“Scottsdale’s Real Time Crime Center used LPR information to locate the vehicle in a parking garage at Scottsdale Fashion Square. Scottsdale officers coordinated their response and safely arrested him.”
The New York man admitted his Valley attacks “and made statements indicating that he intended to commit additional violence” – with a planned attack in the Scottsdale mall.
In 2022, a victim was murdered in a south Scottsdale hotel parking lot. “Over the course of a few weeks, Detectives used Flock/ALPR to track the suspects from the homicide location,” Sempsis said.
“The vehicle information was used to help apprehend the suspects in Las Vegas, Nevada and Arkansas.”
Four months ago, frantic 911 calls reported dozens of shots at an Old Town short term rental.
“Detectives utilized Flock/LPR to track the suspect vehicle and arrested numerous individuals for attempted first degree murder and aggravated assault,” Sempsis said.
On May 8, SPD detectives used the Flock system to track a suspect – who was arrested – accused of assaulting a transgender person in a hate crime.
Three weeks later, the Flock system was used to track a vehicle related to a Phoenix aggravated-assault.
On June 17, an alert helped officers locate a stolen U-Haul. The resulting investigation led to one arrest and four additional drug charges following service of a search warrant, Sempsis noted.
On July 18, a vehicle associated with an organized retail-theft crew triggered an alert near Scottsdale Fashion Square. “Officers located the vehicle, and Gilbert Police took four people into custody in connection with theft offenses in that city,” Sempsis said.
She noted detectives utilize Flock cameras “to help identify those involved in the trafficking of children and predators targeting children for sex offenses.”
Sempsis stressed: “RTCC personnel and officers must verify the information and determine whether there is a lawful basis for police action.”
And the cameras are not always used for crimes:
On June 9, LPR detections helped RTCC personnel locate a missing man with dementia, according to Sempsis. “Traffic cameras confirmed the vehicle’s movement, allowing a patrol officer to safely contact the driver and arrange assistance.”