Police in MA. and other states are using new hardware and software to instantly scan license plates and check registrations.
SOUTHBRIDGE — The inside of a specially equipped police cruiser sounded a lot like a grocery store checkout.
But the constant beeping was actually checking license plates.
The instantaneous rate — easily 20 vehicles per minute during a ride-along with veteran Officer John Ritchie — would have made a grocery cashier cringe.
The software, which was recently purchased by police here, checks for wanted persons, unregistered vehicles, revoked registrations and stolen cars and can be used for investigative purposes, Officer Ritchie said. Police can check the plates of moving or parked vehicles.
Rather than one officer running radar and attempting to key in license plates — perhaps at a rate of 100 per shift — the system can run hundreds of plates in a couple of minutes, enhancing the officers' time on motor vehicle enforcement.
The Southbridge Police Department recently purchased ELSAG North America's license plate recognition program, which is used more heavily in New York, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Connecticut and Ohio.
About 20 departments in Massachusetts use it. ELSAG spokesman Nate Maroney declined to identify the others because of nondisclosure agreements.
The program costs about $20,000, including hardware, software and four years of support, Mr. Maroney said.
Infrared cameras are placed on the cruiser's exterior, and a network and power junction box go inside, along with a laptop computer for the officer to read and enter data.
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