Big brother camera helps QLD police
Sep 17th, 2009 by admin
You may want to consider carefully your answers to any questions by police next time you are pulled over.
A new automated number plate recognition system looks like a speed camera from a distance, but it can have much more of a sting in its tail.
As the system went on trial on the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday, it was enough to make police officers such as Inspector Stephen Maney smile.
“The camera reads the number plate, checks are made against the database as to whether the car is registered and who is the registered driver,” Insp Maney, the North Coast traffic co-ordinator, said.
“By the time they are pulled over by police a short distance down the road, we already know if that vehicle is unregistered, or registered to an unlicensed driver.”
The new system was trialled at Maroochydore, Nambour and Marcoola after two days of testing in Bundaberg.
“Twenty-two vehicles of interest were highlighted by noon yesterday,” Insp Maney said.
“It is an additional tool for road safety and traffic enforcement, but promises a significant scope to expand to a broader range such as persons of interest linked with vehicles.”
The system is already widely used in the United Kingdom by police.
The Sunshine Coast trial marked the eve of a statewide police first in road campaigns.
Operation Blitz’Em starts today.
It will be Queensland’s first operational school holiday taskforce to target roads before holidays begin.
“This delivers the message to people to think about what they are doing, where they are going and how and when they intend on getting there,” Insp Maney said.
“Hopefully, seeing us will make sure people factor that into their plans to get to their holiday destinations.”
Insp Maney said the effectiveness of Operation Blitz’Em on the Coast would be evaluated later this week.
“That is a reflection and recognition of the high volume of traffic that comes out this way from Brisbane and those who continue further up,” he said.
“This is about preventing and reducing the risks on the road these holidays.”
The road toll for the North Coast region sits at 69, with the Coast toll almost half of that.
During last year’s spring school holidays, 11 people were killed in road crashes in Queensland