Leawood is planning to add one license plate reader somewhere in the city, and considering using federal funding to help pay for 10 new license plate readers at other strategic intersections.
As part of a work session April 17, the Leawood City Council and city staff discussed the possibility of putting some of the city’s federal COVID-19 relief funding toward the new license plate readers.
Plans have not yet been finalized
- No final action has been taken yet, but an action item related to the plan will come back for the city council’s consideration at a later meeting.
- Leawood Police Department officials said specific intersections for the new license plate readers are still undetermined, but that the department would analyze crime data throughout the city to determine the best locations for them.
- Officials said the new license plate readers would allow police to survey a wider perimeter of the city for known suspects of crimes or stolen vehicles, and that they have have been “highly effective” for this in the past.
- The readers would only be used for seeking license plates associated with non-traffic related crimes, and not for traffic enforcement.
The proposal calls for using $100,000 in federal funding
- The city proposes using the federal funding to pay for 100% of the 10 new license plate readers would cost $80,000, with another $20,000 needed for associated data storage space — which would fully be covered by the federal funding.
- Leawood Police Department officials said a typical cost for a license plate reader ranges from $3,000 to $5,000, depending on where in the city the license plate reader is installed.
- The license plate reader expansion project is one of several ideas the city has recently explored for its $5.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding, including new pickleball courts and a new fire station.
- Leawood must spend its federal COVID-19 relief funds by the end of 2026.
The city already has 19 license plate readers
License plate readers are already implemented at the following intersections:
- 85th Street and State Line Road
- 95th Street and State Line Road
- 95th Street and Mission Road
- 106th Street and Lee Boulevard (Leawood City Park)
- College Boulevard and Overbrook Road
- College Boulevard and Nall Avenue
- 115th Street and Roe Avenue
- Town Center Drive and Nall Avenue (There are two here)
- 117th Street and Roe Avenue
- 119th Street and State Line Road
- 119th Street and Tomahawk Creek Parkway
- 135th Street and Kenneth Road
- 135th Street and Nall Avenue (There are three here)
- 143rd Street and Kenneth Road
- 143rd Street and Nall Avenue
