Drivers in Auburn might want to think twice before driving an unregistered or stolen car on city streets. Thanks to some new technology, the Auburn Police Department will have an easier time finding them.
This month, the APD started utilizing an automatic license plate reader during patrol. The device uses infrared cameras mounted on top of a police car to scan license plates and check for possible violations.
As the car is on patrol, the cameras capture the plate numbers of vehicles that are driving or parked on the street. The numbers are then processed by a computer, which checks them and alerts the officer if there are any violations.
“The abilities that this technology has are definitely going to enhance our ability to enforce the law,” said APD Chief Gary Giannotta.
The reader can scan hundreds of plates on a single patrol. Most of the violations that pop up are due to lapses in registration, Giannotta said. However, the scanner will also alert officers if the car is stolen or if the registered driver is a missing or wanted person.
The APD has one patrol car equipped with the $22,000 device, which was purchased through a grant from the state. Officers are still being trained to operate it, though it is currently being used on patrol.
Once everyone can use it, Giannotta said, the license plate reader will offer a number of advantages.
“We have the ability to identify registrations that are suspended, and that is huge. We can also key in on Amber Alerts,” Giannotta said. “You can't put a price tag on that. The only other way to find these things would be to come across the vehicle by accident.”
Sgt. Chris White is one of the officers conducting the training. White likened the device to any other law enforcement tool that is used by the department, like a radar gun or a sobriety checkpoint.
“It just gives us more eyes,” White said. “It gives us another tool to be able to stop people who have lapses on their registration or might have a warrant for their arrest.”
The acquisition of the license plate reader adds the APD to the list of area law enforcement agencies that are current with this technology, Giannotta said. The Cayuga County Sheriff's office and the New York State Police also utilize license plate readers.
Giannotta said the department has not received any complaints or concerns from citizens about the license plate reader. And while the state grant does not currently fund multiple license plate readers for a department, the APD is looking into the possibility of getting multiple readers.
“The more we get out there and use (the reader), the busier we are going to be with it,” he said.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net
As the car is on patrol, the cameras capture the plate numbers of vehicles that are driving or parked on the street. The numbers are then processed by a computer, which checks them and alerts the officer if there are any violations.
“The abilities that this technology has are definitely going to enhance our ability to enforce the law,” said APD Chief Gary Giannotta.
The reader can scan hundreds of plates on a single patrol. Most of the violations that pop up are due to lapses in registration, Giannotta said. However, the scanner will also alert officers if the car is stolen or if the registered driver is a missing or wanted person.
The APD has one patrol car equipped with the $22,000 device, which was purchased through a grant from the state. Officers are still being trained to operate it, though it is currently being used on patrol.
Once everyone can use it, Giannotta said, the license plate reader will offer a number of advantages.
“We have the ability to identify registrations that are suspended, and that is huge. We can also key in on Amber Alerts,” Giannotta said. “You can't put a price tag on that. The only other way to find these things would be to come across the vehicle by accident.”
Sgt. Chris White is one of the officers conducting the training. White likened the device to any other law enforcement tool that is used by the department, like a radar gun or a sobriety checkpoint.
“It just gives us more eyes,” White said. “It gives us another tool to be able to stop people who have lapses on their registration or might have a warrant for their arrest.”
The acquisition of the license plate reader adds the APD to the list of area law enforcement agencies that are current with this technology, Giannotta said. The Cayuga County Sheriff's office and the New York State Police also utilize license plate readers.
Giannotta said the department has not received any complaints or concerns from citizens about the license plate reader. And while the state grant does not currently fund multiple license plate readers for a department, the APD is looking into the possibility of getting multiple readers.
“The more we get out there and use (the reader), the busier we are going to be with it,” he said.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net
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