You can run but you can’t hide
With new camera technology, the metro police will be able to receive more accurate information by simply scanning a number plate while driving behind a vehicle.
New camera technology will now enable the metro police to spot unpaid fines by simply driving in front of or behind a vehicle and scanning its number plate.
According to the metro police spokesperson, Isaac Mahamba, this new camera technology was initiated in August and will be installed in numerous metro police vehicles across Pretoria as more funding is made available.
Mahamba explained that the cameras were mounted onto the vehicle at an angle to focus on a specific viewing angle in front of and to the rear of the vehicle to capture images from number plates.
He said that the camera read the number plate and transferred it to a specific code which then searched the registration database.
“The system allows the metro police to see the actual status of fines. It is accompanied by an in-vehicle computer providing all the required information of the vehicle and owner as per the registration database.”
The database would then be able to see if the number plate corresponded to the vehicle and also whether the driver of the vehicle had any outstanding fines.
Mahamba said that this new technology would enable the metro police to obtain more accurate readings at a much faster pace.
“To do such enquiries through a voice radio network takes so much longer and then the metro police officer is required to write everything down whilst in motion. Through this new system, more correct information is passed on immediately and directly to the vehicle.”
