In a city leading the state in auto thefts, technology may be one key to help solve and curb those crimes, according to Denver’s officials.

The Automated License Plate Reader pilot network announced by the Denver Police Department earlier this year has already showed improvements in public safety, the department said in a Wednesday news release.

“We know that auto theft can have a huge impact on victims’ lives, which is why we tackled this issue head-on with the new license plate reader network,” Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said in the release. “The early successes of this program are a testament to DPD’s incredible work, and lay the groundwork for our comprehensive strategy to increase public safety and reduce auto theft throughout the city.”

The ALPRs, which the Johnston administration unveiled in January, are a set of 111 cameras placed at nearly 70 intersections across the city. 

The cameras are activated to help the police department and its Denver Auto Theft Team track down stolen vehicles and identify vehicles wanted in other dangerous crimes, the department said.

The system is said to only capture an image of the back of vehicles and does not film the driver or others inside of the vehicles. That license plate image is then utilized to locate vehicles involved in hit-and-run crashes and vehicles associated with a crime. 

Only 55 cameras have been installed so far — with the 111 total coming by the middle of June. 

Though only half of the projected total cameras are operational, there have been more than 15 cases where the system resulted in felony arrests or assisted officers and investigators in May, the department said.

And in a city with 10,942 auto thefts in 2023, the most in the state, the improvement is welcome. 

“The ALPR network is providing the investigative leads we expected, and we are optimistic about achieving even more positive outcomes like these for our community once the network is fully installed,” Police Chief Ron Thomas said in the release.

Not all Colorado areas adopted the camera technology.

Earlier this year, the Elbert County Commissioners voted, 3-0, against renewing the contract for the region’s nine Flock Safety brand license plate readers, calling the constant surveillance of passing vehicles “Big Brother.”

During a press conference announcing the cameras, Thomas, the police chief, said the city is “not going to be shy about where the cameras are located.”

A map of the camera locations across the city’s six police districts was released at the time of the project’s announcement.