License Plate Scanning Instantly Alerts Police To Wanted Vehicles
DENVER (CBS4)- Police in Denver are using new technology to get the bad guys off the streets. Officers scan license plates and instantly know whether that vehicle, or driver, is wanted.
The program is called D-DACTS for Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety.
"We use data to point us in the direction to show us where the crime and crashes are taking place," said Denver Police Department Cmdr. Paul Pazen.
Police then send an officer equipped with the license plate reader, to the location at the predicted time.
The reader uses a camera to scan the license plate of every passing vehicle. Then it gives the officer the status of the vehicles's registered owner, instantly, and flags anything suspicious.
"Maybe the car was involved in a hit-and-run, or somewhere along the line the car was registered to someone who has an active warrant for an arrest," said Denver Police Officer Robert Greaser.
On Thursday night, there were 11 hits within 10 minutes on Colfax Avenue using the license plate reader.
The program rolls out city-wide on Friday. Police call it a game changer.
"By doing this, we know we will really have an impact on reducing crime and improving safety," said Pazen.
The readers cost about $11,000 each. The Denver Police Department owns six of them. The data is erased after 364 days.
