Allegheny Township installs license plate reader system

Allegheny Township’s license plate reader system is up and running.

Police Chief Duane Fisher told supervisors this week that an automated license plate reading system was installed in the Weinels section of the township.

Also known as ALPRs, the devices can vary widely in appearance and are usually mounted at an odd angle toward the street. When a license plate enters the camera’s field, it takes a photo of the car, its license plate and limited surroundings, then converts the image into electronic data.

They record license plate information plus the time, date and place it was captured.

Cameras can scan up to 1,800 license plates per minute.

Fisher added that Allegheny Township’s system will be hooked into a wider system in use in New Kensington and parts of Allegheny County.

“It can enhance public safety along with helping search for a missing or abducted child,” Fisher said. “It can also read window stickers like ‘OBX’ for someone that has been to the (North Carolina) Outer Banks or a marathon runner that has a ‘26.2’ window sticker.”

A police officer can call up a license plate in five to seven seconds, according to Fisher.

The township used a $50,000 technology grant to obtain the system. Another $50,000 is being used to upgrade the computer system in the township building, along with the police and public works departments.