GCPD Tries New Plate Reader Technology

Garden City Police Commissioner, Ernest Cipullo, announces that the Garden City Police Department has instituted new technology in their proactive stance in law enforcement. A Garden City Police vehicle is now equipped with a Remington License Plate Reader. The plate reader employs the use of two cameras that are mounted on a police vehicle and is designed to read license plates both on parked and moving vehicles. The plate reader, using infrared technology, detects a license plate and sends the information to the police car's computer. The computer processes the plate number through the New York State Police Information Network, the National Crime Informational Center and local police databases. If there is a match with one of these databases, the unit will emit a sound that alerts the police officer and the information is then sent to a laptop screen located next to the officer.

The license plate reader was developed and is used to detect stolen vehicles, stolen plates, persons and/or vehicles wanted for crimes, AMBER Alerts, missing persons, court scofflaws, suspended vehicles and persons operating vehicles with a suspended license.

The license plate reader proved its worth as soon it was put in service on December 07, where a Garden City Police Officer stopped a vehicle after the plate reader alerted him that the vehicle's registration was suspended. Upon an investigation, the driver was arrested for operating a vehicle with 13 suspensions and one revocation.

The plate reader also helped another officer locate a vehicle that was wanted by the Garden City Justice Court for numerous unpaid parking tickets. Commissioner Cipullo adds "The plate reader will be useful in assisting the police department to catch and deter criminals as well as removing unsafe vehicles and drivers from village roads."