El Cerrito police Chief Paul Keith wants to install license plate readers across the city to combat commercial property crime and catalytic converter thefts.
The city is holding a meeting Wednesday night to hear public input on the issue.
Keith is looking to get eight of the devices for eight intersections across El Cerrito. He says one system he has considered photographs only the rear of the vehicle and the license plate.
The chief added such a device would have been helpful last weekend.
"A red van had come up to a juvenile. The person inside exposed themself to that person, and that would’ve been a perfect use of a license plate reader camera," he said. "The incident actually happened near an intersection where we are considering putting cameras at."
The chief is proposing the cameras not be used to turn in undocumented immigrants to federal authorities and that the data be purged after 30 days.
