<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1m2ujk_1H45gDwn00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1m2ujk_1H45gDwn00" width="400" height="225" ><p>MANCHESTER, Iowa — Manchester Police have installed an automatic license plate reader at Bailey Drive and Main Street. The department says the camera uses Axon technology, not Flock, and its data stays local.</p><p>A Facebook post initially said installation would begin Nov. 10. Manchester Police Chief Benjamin Davis said the work was delayed until Nov. 11. When Iowa’s News Now spoke with him, the camera was up but still waiting to be connected to the department’s system.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3Dpfbid0g5epninZBTZTQUX4GXeJ9B1ox9wj2L76RwqsoQ2L633Us7pyYw1EwF3zaiWgQ9Dhl%26id%3D100064892852713&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" style="width:100%; height:100%; position:relative; border:none; overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div><p>Once connected, the reader can alert logged-in officers to license plates tied to wanted or stolen vehicles, warrants and Amber Alerts. The data runs on a 30-day cycle, and officers need to be logged into Axon with their own identifier to receive alerts.</p><h2>Manchester’s long-standing Axon partnership</h2><p>Manchester has used Axon products for about 10 years, including body cameras and digital evidence storage. Davis said the new reader will connect with the department’s existing Axon system.</p><p>The department combined several contracts into one 10-year agreement with a flat price, which Davis said makes budgeting more predictable. Under the deal, Manchester can get Axon’s newest products as they become available, helping keep officers equipped with the company’s latest technology.</p><p>"Anytime we have new products come out with Axon, we get them almost day one, so we'll always have the top of the line equipment, the top of the line technology for the officers the moment that we get them,” Davis said.</p><h2>How Manchester says its system differs from Flock</h2><p>Davis described the difference from Flock as a question of who can access the camera network. Davis said his understanding is that Flock users may be able to search footage from cameras in other places.</p><p>“Hypothetically, if we had Flock here, my understanding was we could access Flock in Florida or New York and do those sort of things,” Davis said.</p><p>The department’s policy does allow another law enforcement agency to ask Manchester to run a search. The request must include a case number and a legitimate law enforcement purpose, and command staff would typically handle it.</p><p>Davis said the department has not heard concerns about the camera from Manchester residents. He said questions about the safeguards around Flock’s shared network are part of why Manchester never evaluated that system.</p><h2>A tool for a small department</h2><p>Davis said the reader can help with investigations in a department that typically has one or two officers on the road at a time. He pointed to a jackpotting case from about four months ago: Police were unable to identify the vehicle for nearly three months, and the case remains unresolved.</p><p>“These are tools that help rural departments because when these things do happen, I don't have the resources of a metro department, and I never will have the resources of a metro department,” Davis said.</p><p>Manchester has used license plate alerts in its patrol cars for about two years. He said the department has audit trails in place and has not had any abuses or data breaches during that time.</p></div></body>

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MANCHESTER, Iowa — Manchester Police have installed an automatic license plate reader at Bailey Drive and Main Street. The department says the camera uses Axon technology, not Flock, and its data stays local. A Facebook post initially said installation would begin Nov. 10. Manchester Police Chief Benjamin Davis said...

Manchester Police add Axon license plate reader

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MANCHESTER, Iowa — Manchester Police have installed an automatic license plate reader at Bailey Drive and Main Street. The department says the camera uses 

Manchester Police add Axon license plate reader

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