The City’s Board of Aldermen approved this week the purchase of an Auto License Plate Reader for the Brookhaven Police Department.

BPD Detective Capt. Clint Earls presented the bids to the board. The reader is trailer mounted, allowing it to be moved wherever and whenever necessary. 

“There is one on every state line in Mississippi,” Earls said. “There’s one on Lakeland Drive in Flowood, one in Jackson, Pearl and other places.”

The automatic plate reader scans and reports on any plate number that has been entered into the National Crime Information Center database as stolen, missing, etc.

“The LPR picks it up, pops it back to NCIC and alerts the appropriate department,” Earls said. 

The State oversees the use of the database, handling all logistics.

“There’s no enforcement — just identification,” Earls said. “If we have a stolen vehicle in Brookhaven and we punch it in, we’ll know in 10 minutes flat if it’s crossed the state line.”

The department has applied for grants each year since 2018 for an ALPR, Earls said, and has each year been denied. With some grant guidance from other municipalities who had been approved, the application was resubmitted for 2021 and $40,000 was approved. 

The lower quote from TCS Ware for $39,995 was accepted and the department’s budget will be revised until reimbursement is received. The purchase is 100 percent reimbursable through the Homeland Security Grant awarded to the city. The higher bid was $49,545, from Communications Technologies Inc.

The board approved the purchase 5-0. Ward 6 Alderman Andre’ Spiller and Alderman-at-Large Don Underwood were not present.

In other business the board:

• Approved closing the portion of North First Street under the Industrial Park Road overpass. The street is unused and adjoins property owned by AITX. 
• Heard reports from Mike McKenzie of WGK Engineering and Garrick Combs of the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce.
• Adopted updated COVID guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Approved the Brookhaven Fire Department’s report of 23 runs in the city during December 2021, and two outside city limits.
• Approved payment of $49,820 to Greenbriar Digging Services for work completed on the North Park Lane Water Extension.
• Approved lower quote from Greenbriar of $85,567.50 to extend water and sewer service along Natchez Drive to Hwy. 84, to tie in businesses and extend service across Hwy. 84 in the future. The higher bid was from T.L. Wallace for $103,000.
• Approved lower quote from Roberson Enterprises to demolish the house at 230 Molly St. for $6,500 and the house at 215 Railroad St. for $9,500.
• Approved four fire fighters to attend the F.I.R.S.T. Class at the State Fire Academy in January; registration fees of $365 per person and reimbursements of mileage and meals. The fire fighters were Fernando Dillon, Darius Calvin, Pat Earl and Justin Graves.
• Approved the retirement of part-time BPD dispatcher Bennie Marvin Nesmith.
• Approved the following resignations: Anna Holybee, BPD dispatcher; Clarence O’Quinn, non-certified BPD officer; Melvin Kelly, Solid Waste operator; and Matthew Rutledge, street laborer. 
• Approved the following hires: LaPatrick Daniels, Solid Waste operator; James Kyle Huhn, certified BPD officer; and Derek Bethley, non-certified BPD officer.
• Approved moving part-time BPD dispatcher Alan Trey Henderson to full time.
• Approved five-year anniversary salary increases for Jeffy James, Water Department laborer, and part-time janitor Patricia Newman.