Cruisin’ for licences
Mounted police cameras scan plates as motorists drive by
WATERLOO REGION — This police cruiser is keeping a close eye on motorists.
It has three cameras on the roof that can scan a licence plate as the motorist drives down a street.
“It’s like having three extra sets of eyes on the road,” said Staff Sgt. Mike Hinsperger, head of traffic for Waterloo Regional Police.
Police started using the automated licence plate reader in January. In five months, there has been almost 89,000 detections.
“It’s running plates as you are driving,” said Hinsperger. “It’s a very valuable tool for law enforcement.”
The plate reader highlights the licence number on a camera and equipment inside the cruiser shows the officer infractions associated with the plate, such as suspended licences, no insurance, disqualified drivers and stolen vehicles. Other notices could be provincial amber alerts.
“It’s amazing the hits that come across the screen. It just doesn’t stop,” Hinsperger said.
Last week, police stopped a driver who created his own licence sticker. The licence plate reader spotted the fake sticker and police stopped the driver on Shepherd Avenue in Cambridge.
The driver allegedly printed an image from the internet. In addition to not having a valid sticker, the driver was also charged with having no insurance and no driver’s licence.
The plate reader vehicle is also used during RIDE program enforcements, Hinsperger said.
Other police services across the province are using the technology. So are the Ontario Provincial Police.
The cost of the cameras for the one cruiser was about $60,000, which was paid for through a provincial grant.
Hinsperger said the service’s traffic branch has the licence plate reader vehicle out on the road almost daily.
He said the plate reader saves time because officers don’t have to manually run plates.
“You are getting the biggest bang for your buck,” he said.