License-plate readersReduced prices for license plates readers attracts more buyers

Now that the cost of Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR) has dropped $17,000 from its initial price of $24,000, these devices are becoming increasingly common with more and more police departments across the country purchasing them.

Using the ALPR, police officers can automatically scanup to 600 license plates a minute as they drive down the street, searching for individuals with outstanding warrants or stolen vehicles.

Terry Esco, the chief of police in Braselton, Georgia, which recently acquired an ALPR, credits the device with helping to capture a fugitive in its first three weeks of operation.

“We only have one right now but the use is spreading,” Esco said.

Even with the ALPR’s reduced prices, some departments have chosen not to purchase the device as it is still too expensive.

In Georgia, both the Hall County Sheriff’s Office and the Gainesville Police Department chose not to purchase the device after testing it. Sergeant Stephen Wilbanks of the Hall County Sheriff’s office explained that the costs of the device still outweighed its benefits.

Meanwhile in Braselton, Police Chief Esco continues to rave about the device and its benefits.

“In three weeks, it’s just amazing what it’s capable of doing,” he said.

According to Esco, the ALPR can quickly locate vehicles with expired insurance, which can result in a $2,000 fine. With two major highways and an interstate, the Breselton police have wasted no time in setting up their ALPR equipped squad car to scan traffic passing through its jurisdiction.

The ALPR allows a department to “have a tool to stay ahead of everybody a little,” Esco said.