Licence plate recognition equipment has been in use province-wide since 2009, but it’s new to the Niagara Regional Police. New cameras mounted on a cruiser will photograph thousands of licence plates a day looking for people breaking the law.

“They are hooked up with software, as we drive through the city these cameras will pick up images of licence plates and of a vehicle,” said Sgt. Josh Klop.

The OPP has been using the technology for eight years but the Niagara Regional police used money from a civil liberties grant to pay for their $40,000 system.

Since July 24 the automated licence plate recognition vehicle has already nabbed 111 offenders, ranging anywhere from suspended drivers to license plates missing their validation sticker.

“We’re not conducting the surveillance for the public, if you’ve done nothing wrong your plate won’t be in the system and you have nothing to worry about.”