A system used to track stolen cars in one of the highest crime-rated cities in South Carolina could be used in more cities across the state, say local law enforcement officials.
The City of North Charleston was the first city in South Carolina to bring the portable Automated License Plate Recognition System into effect. The system tracks stolen cars through a camera scanning system implemented on police cars, allowing the officer to scan a license plate and identify if that vehicle was stolen through a confirmed “beep” sound. Police Chief Jon Zumalt says the system has proven to be a success.
“We’re using it, we have been fully utilizing it since May of last year. We’ve already gotten I think, 14 stolen cars, so it’s working,” says Zumalt.
Working so well that Zumalt now wants to set up cameras in high crime areas of North Charleston to help reduce the crime rate. The American Civil Liberties Union says it wants to see how any information collected is used before deciding if it approves the cameras around the city.