Staffordshire County Council plans to make a £200,000 investment in Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras in hopes of reducing crime.
The cameras will be used to detect tax-dodging drivers as well as cars linked to criminal activity.
“The high-tech cameras have proved successful in the UK and will now go up on routes across Staffordshire to combat travelling criminals as well as motorists who do not tax or insure their vehicles,” a police spokesman said.
The joint venture with Staffordshire Police will bring 13 fixed and eight mobile ANPR units to the area.
Robbie Marshall, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Infrastructure, believes the cameras will send out a clear message.
“We are on to you, whether they are trying to get away without a tax disc or are intent on coming to Staffordshire to cause trouble.”
Marshall continues: “The is one of a number of measures we will be introducing with partners, including the police, to reduce crime and fear of crime so that people in Staffordshire can live safely.”
ANPR cameras will recognise a vehicle registrations linked to known offenders and feed that information back to police.
Chief Superintendent Jon Drake, County Policing Commander, said: “This technology, combined with an intelligence-led approach, will help us stop many criminals from targeting the county and allow us to track and catch those who do.”
