There was a time when police officers on patrol would have to use the radio to call the dispatcher with a plate number on a car that appeared to be suspicious. Then they’d have to follow the car until the dispatcher put the plate number on the national computer system and wait for a response. Several years later, as technology improved, officers were equipped with computers in their patrol cars, enabling them to type plate numbers into the system and receive immediate responses that informed them of the status of the car that had caught their attention. They would quickly know if the vehicle was stolen, if the operator was wanted for a recent crime, or if he/she was wanted on warrants. Now, technology has moved to another, even higher, level. It’s called Automated License Plate Reader Systems (ALPRS). 

     The Waco City Council approved $65,000 for an ALPRS that includes cameras for 2 patrol cars and an electronic system that compares license numbers to crime databases. The system, from PIPS technology, uses four mounted cameras that can scan roads for license plates, and can operate whether the patrol car is parked, or zooming down a highway. The image is sent wirelessly to a police department computer that will read it and compare it to lists of stolen cars. When one is found, the patrol officer in the field will be automatically alerted. The system also can be used when police are searching for a violent criminal. Highland Village recently took delivery of 4 ALPRS. HV Police Chief Ed O’Bara is spearheading a movement through cooperation with the City of Dallas to access their Regional Data Base daily for uploads of all “wants and warrants” in a format compatible with the software of the HV units. The chief’s primary concern is officer safety, since, as the data begins to flow, an officer with one of these systems will know ahead of time if they are approaching a potentially dangerous felon on a traffic stop.