Automatic license plate reader technology has been deployed in police cars across the nation for years now. And adoption rates are skyrocketing, as the systems get cheaper, and the benefits to public safety and efficient police work have become clear.
Typically, the uses for these license plate scanners include locating stolen cars, amber alter searches, finding drivers with outstanding criminal arrest warrants or suspended driver’s licenses, and more.
But recently, these license plate scanning systems are being deployed for more mundane government operations. According to the Beaumont Enterprise, one Pennsylvania police department is using their system to nab people with outstanding traffic tickets and fines.
It was only a matter of time before police would move on from using this technology just to find stolen cars. The systems are marketed to cities and towns with the ability to more easily collect municipal income on traffic tickets, and municipal back taxes and fees.
With the ability for these systems to pay for themselves so quickly in nailing traffic and parking ticket scofflaws, the initial investment in these systems will be easy for municipalities to justify.
About David Matson