Less than 24 hours after being installed, license plate reader (LPR) cameras helped Whiteville Police capture a woman wanted in connection to a homicide.
LPR cameras scan license plates when instructed to search for wanted vehicles. Chadbourn Police have used their LPR system with significant success in recent years.
Whiteville Police Chief Paul Rockenbach said the WPD camera installation was completed March 4, and around 1:45 p.m. March 5, a “vehicle connected to a wanted individual from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office through an NCIC database hit.
“The system notified our officers that the vehicle had entered the city,” the chief said in. a press release.
Officers quickly located the vehicle and established surveillance, Rockenbach said. After several hours, officers took Q’rana Sha’Dymond McKay into custody. McKay was wanted on outstanding warrants related to a homicide investigation in Cumberland County.
McKay, 23, was also charged with carrying a concealed firearm. Bond was set at $5,000 on that charge, plus she was wanted for failure to appear in Cumberland County. Detention Center records and warrants show her address as 1047 Dessie Rd., Chadbourn.
“As Chief of Police, I want our community to understand the importance of investments like this,” Rockenbach said. “In less than 24 hours after activation, this technology directly assisted our officers in locating and apprehending a suspect wanted in relation to a homicide investigation. That is a powerful example of how strategic technology can support the work our officers do every day to keep our community safe.”
The locations for the LPR cameras were selected to help identify vehicles connected to criminal activity entering and leaving the city, he said.
“I am extremely proud of the work our officers did in responding quickly and professionally once the alert came in. Their patience and diligence allowed us to safely take a dangerous individual into custody. This is a strong return on investment for our community, and it reinforces our commitment to using responsible technology and proactive policing strategies to protect the citizens of Whiteville.”
