Beaufort County Council Votes to Fund New License Plate Cameras Amid Safety and Privacy Concerns

Beaufort County Council Approves New License Plate Cameras Amid Safety and Privacy Debate

In a recent meeting, the finance committee of Beaufort County made a significant decision that could impact local law enforcement and community safety. They voted to approve funding for 23 new license plate reading cameras along with additional software to assist in searching through the data these cameras will collect. This decision has sparked a lively discussion around public safety versus personal freedoms.

Backing the Plan but Raising Concerns

Five out of the eleven members of the County Council, serving on the finance committee, gave the thumbs up for this project. However, one council member, David Bartholomew, raised his voice against it, expressing concerns about privacy and potential liabilities. His comments spotlighted a crucial balancing act between ensuring community safety and safeguarding personal freedoms.

The approved funding, amounting to a hefty $262,000, will be allocated to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office for the purchase, installation, and maintenance of these cameras over the coming two years. But don’t break out the party hats just yet—the funding still awaits the rubber stamp from the full council before it can officially move forward.

Why the Cameras?

The need for these cameras stems from rising concerns over gun violence and drive-by shootings plaguing Beaufort County. Captain Brian Baird, who heads special projects for the Sheriff’s Department, pointed to tragic incidents like the shooting of 14-year-old Jerrieme “LJ” Washington earlier this year as pivotal reasons for pursuing this surveillance technology.

Interestingly enough, individual cities within the county, such as Hilton Head, Beaufort, and Bluffton, already have their own cameras in place. After weighing options from three different companies, the Sheriff’s Office decided on purchasing their cameras from Rekor and will also acquire two command connector devices from Verkada. These devices will be essential in processing the camera feeds, allowing officers to search for specific license plate numbers and timestamps.

Where Will the Cameras Go?

If everything goes smoothly with the full council’s approval, these 23 cameras will be strategically installed at 20 different locations marked by high crime rates. The hope is that by entering a known license plate, such as one belonging to a stolen vehicle, law enforcement agencies will get alerts every time it passes one of the new cameras.

Captain Baird noted they previously sought a grant from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety to fund the project but were unfortunately denied. This prompted a reduction in the initial proposal for 65 cameras down to the current number of 23. Now, the funding will be sourced from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds—an initiative designed to stimulate recovery post-pandemic. Beaufort County was allocated a whopping $37.3 million in ARPA funds back in 2022.

The Costs Breakdown

Of the total funding, approximately $230,000 will cover purchases from the two companies for the cameras and connector devices. The second-year maintenance alone is expected to cost around $32,000. While this funding could enable the installation of additional cameras in the future, for now, the priority is getting these 23 cameras operational.

Real-World Impact Already Seen

Interestingly, the sheriff’s department already has a demo camera in action, and it’s been making waves in crime detection. It has successfully aided in locating a murder suspect from Savannah and tracking down multiple stolen vehicles. It even helped find a dementia patient who had wandered away from a home in Sun City. These positive outcomes underscore the potential impact of the upcoming camera installations.

Questions Left Unanswered

Despite the anticipated benefits, council member Bartholomew expressed significant concern about how data would be captured, stored, and utilized. He emphasized the need for state regulations governing the handling of this sensitive information. Currently, there’s no formal state legislation dictating these matters, which makes the debate surrounding the balance of safety and civil liberties all the more urgent.

According to Daniel F. Gourley II, legal counsel for the Sheriff’s Office, the current plan is to store the data collected by the cameras for just 30 days, in stark contrast to other systems that retain information indefinitely. He reassured council members that access to the data will be tightly controlled and closely monitored.

With a regular session meeting coming up on December 9, the full County Council will revisit the funding proposal for the cameras. If the green light is given, Captain Baird plans to move swiftly to finalize contracts, paving the way for installations as early as January.