Would License Plate Cameras Stop Crime in Beaux Arts Village?

The town of Beaux Arts Village recently heard a presentation on license plate cameras to deter crime, which residents say is on the rise, according to KING5.com.

The lakeside town nearly 300 people, surrounded on three of its sides by the city of Bellevue, is about three blocks by five blocks, and is centered around 105th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 28th Street. It's policed by contract by the King County Sheriff's Office. 

The town council learned recently that it would cost $150,000 to install a camera system that would record the license plate of every car that came into town, according to the KING5 report.

While that price tag would be a financial reach for the small town, Beaux Arts Village mayor Richard Leider told the TV station that the city has been told that there is no constitutional issue with installing cameras.

Cameras already are tracking license plates in the nearby cities of Medina, Hunts Point and Clyde Hill -- not to mention on the State Route 520 bridge, which uses the technology to bill vehicles for tolling.

However, the American Civil Liberties Union last week released a report raising concerns about privacy issues and how police agencies could use the information collected by the cameras.

What do you think? Are license plate cameras effective in deterring crime? Have they helped in cases where you or someone you know has been a victim? Tell us in the comments.

Online:
KING5.com: Small Eastside town considers license plate cameras
ACLU: License Plate Scanners