WATERFORD TWP. (WWJ) – Waterford Police use license plate reader technology to catch a suspect responsible for damaging license plate reader cameras in the community.
Last Monday, February 23, the police department realized some of their Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR) were not working properly.
Officers went to inspect the readers and saw they had been forcibly broken from their mounts and smashed into pieces.
The department said detectives used the ALPR technoly to find the suspect. One of the cameras had captured an image of the vehicle and license plate driven by the suspect.
They also used video footage from nearby businesses, showing the suspect getting out of a car and using a blunt object to hit two cameras until they broke off their mounts.
Investigators say Spencer Anderson, 24, from Clarkston was arrested on February 26. He’s been charged with three counts of Malicious Destruction of Police Property, a felony that carries a 4 year prison sentence.
Anderson was arraigned in the 51st District Court and released on a $500 cash bond. He’ll be back in court on March 11.
The department also plans to seek full restitution for the damage done.
ALPR tech only collects images of cars and license plates. The police department says they’ve used the cameras to assist in solving other crimes, including home invasion, human trafficking and homicide.
In a statement, Waterford Police Chief Scott Underwood said, “Spencer Anderson and others are entitled to their opinions regarding technological advancements in policing. However, no one is entitled to maliciously destroy property of another, including that of the Waterford Police Department.”
Residents in other metro Detroit communities have raised concerns over the growing advancements in police technology. In November 2025, the Ferndale Police Department ended their partnership with Flock Safety amid concerns over privacy.