Ind. State Police initiative targets unlicensed drivers

More than 222,000 drivers in Indiana have had their licenses suspended, and more than 30,000 drivers have had their licenses revoked for five to 10 years, or even for life, according to the Indiana State Police.

But, like someone getting behind a wheel after a night of drinking, many of these dangerous drivers can still be found on the road.

The state police have launched a program to help combat the problem, Sgt. Rich Myers of the ISP announced Wednesday.

A License Plate Reader is mounted to the top of the trunk of a state police cruiser to help find the criminal drivers.

The technology has been underway since June, Myers said.

By the end of the year, the readers will be linked to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

The devices will be able to identify vehicles owned by people who have had their license suspended or revoked.

Further down the road,  Myers said, the system should also be capable of identifying plates that have expired more than 30 days but less than a year prior to the reading.
“We’re very excited to put this technology to use in Indiana,” Major Brent Johnson said in a press release. “People who drive with a suspended or revoked license pose an increased risk to the responsible licensed drivers in Indiana. This technology will undoubtedly save lives by helping our troopers identify unlicensed drivers and get them off the road.”

The reader constantly scans license plates and is able to process up to 1,800 every minute.

The readers can identify plates from every state in the country, as well as Canada.
The device can not only help with   identifying suspended drivers, Myers said, but also vehicles listed as stolen or related to criminal activity.

In addition, the readers can help find cars being driven by a Silver Alert victim or are associated with Amber Alerts.

Each LPR system costs about $22,000. Currently, the devices have been installed in only four vehicles deployed across the state. They are assigned to troopers in Lowell, Bremen, Putnamville and Sellersburg state police posts.

— Jake New