License plate readers go live across Indianapolis

New license plate readers for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department will be installed soon.

This week 214 automatic license plate readers will go live on street poles, lights and on patrol vehicles. The department will have nearly 250 readers by early fall. 

The automatic readers capture any plate number that comes into view at a specific location and time. The data is stored for up to 180 days.

“These machines are useful tools for IMPD, providing up-to-the-moment data that can prove critical in preventing or solving crime,” Mayor Hogsett said in a statement.

Every district will have stationary readers.  The locations were decided using data, intelligence and community input.

The law enforcement tool is part of the city’s violence reduction plan that uses $150 million in federal relief funding. Other technology includes B-link cameras and body worn cameras.

Contact WFYI city government and policy reporter Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @JillASheridan.