RCMP detachments use new technology to track traffic violations
Posted March 7, 2024 7:38 pm.
Last Updated March 7, 2024 10:30 pm.
RCMP detachments in B.C. are using new technology to trace licence plates to track violations.
The Richmond RCMP is using an automated license plate recognition technology that uses infrared cameras, which act as a second set of eyes for officers.
Once the technology detects a license plate nearby, it looks for what RCMP calls a “hit.”
“Whether or not it has insurance, whether or not the person who has that license plate is licensed. It can give us other information like if there’s warrants out for a person’s arrest or on probation for something,” said Corp. Peter Somerville.
The technology can read license plates accurately, even under challenging situations like limited visibility, bright lights, and even those obscured by mud.
It can read up to 3,000 license plates per hour.
Meghan McDermott with the BC Civil Liberties Association says there should be a privacy impact assessment when it comes to software like this.
“Where it gets into potential human rights violations is about what is done with that information, particularly when it’s a non-hit,” she said.
Somerville tells CityNews how privacy is not invaded.
“The records aren’t kept. So if I drive around all day and I don’t get any hits, all of that data that the cameras have read is deleted. Plus license plates are in the public domain, they’re sitting out there. They actually belong to ICBC, not to the individual themselves,” he said.
ICBC is also funding some of the cameras.
In 2022, the insurance agency got rid of licence plate validation decals required, and B.C. Police say they’ve seen a major uptick in uninsured vehicles — this technology helps identify them.
“If I go back prior to using the ALPRs, I personally would write six to twelve no-insurance tickets a month, maybe. I’m starting to see six a day,” said Somerville.
McDermott is concerned about what police would do with the hits that police aren’t able to respond to in a timely fashion.
Police say the goal is to enhance traffic safety, with a system that can input the data much faster than any officer can do manually.
