Crime & Safety
Town Council Debates Police Request for License Plate Reader
The license plate reader would enable officers to automatically scan all plates that pass by a squad car and check them against a database for things like outstanding warrants and tickets in real-time.
The is reportedly debating the merits of a license plate reader for the , a $20,000 capital item included in the proposed 2012-2013 police department budget.
As per a report in the New Canaan Advertiser, the license plate reader would enable officers to automatically scan all plates that pass by a squad car and check them against a database for things like outstanding warrants and tickets in real-time. A camera mounted on the patrol car working with software enables the officer to automatically check license plates while the patrol car is in motion.
New Canaan Police Chief Edward Nadriczny told the Advertiser the devices are “ in a revenue-generating manner, to identify scofflaws or vehicles with outstanding parking fines." Town Council member Roger Williams, however, raised concerns about privacy and questioned where the data would be stored and for how long.
