NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – In a significant step towards enhancing public safety, the New Mexico State Police have deployed advanced license plate reading (LPR) cameras capable of tracking stolen cars, locating missing persons, and flagging if the car may be connected to someone with a warrant or has committed a crime.
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The new LPR cameras, mounted on police vehicles and at fixed locations across the state, are designed to scan and process every license plate they encounter. As Officer Alex Power explained, “It’s actually hitting off all these vehicles that are passing us on the road right here,” highlighting the efficiency of the system.
State Police have incorporated nine mobile LPR units on their vehicles, six fixed sites at ports of entry, and five quick deploy units stored in warehouses for operational needs. Each scanned license plate is run through local and national databases, providing near-instant results. “It’ll indicate to me that, hey, there’s a stolen vehicle that just cruised by. And then also like wanted persons, missing persons,” said Officer Power.
The implementation of these cameras has already shown positive outcomes. For instance, Officer Power recounted an instance where the LPR system flagged a vehicle, revealing that the registered owner had an outstanding warrant for her arrest. Such real-time information can be crucial during traffic stops, enhancing officer safety and effectiveness.
A tragic example underscoring the importance of this technology was the fatal shooting of Officer Justin Hare by an individual driving a stolen car. Sergeant Alexander Bennett of the Innovation Bureau emphasized, “Certainly in Officer Hare’s instance, had we had cameras covering inbound traffic in the state of New Mexico, that particular vehicle would have flagged.”
The New Mexico State Police are optimistic that these cameras will make the streets safer. “It would just maximize our capability of tracking certain vehicles and persons down. So I think it’s a good idea if we can just have them as much as possible in different areas,” added Officer Power.
Looking ahead, the State Police plan to install ten new cameras in fixed positions along I-25 and I-40 in the Albuquerque area over the next few months.
