License plate reader cameras at traffic lights are up in St. Martinville, and police are scanning for uninsured vehicles.
The city of St. Martinville is cracking down on drivers who are uninsured.
St. Martinville Police Department in a partnership with Securix has placed 12 cameras at three highly trafficked streets off of main street.
St. Martinville Police Chief Ricky Martin said the cameras pick up on Louisiana and Mississippi plates
“There’s a hot list that the company has to enter into the computer which is a list from DMV of drivers or vehicles without insurance,” Martin said. “They enter those license plates into the system.”
Martin said there is a consequence for those who are uninsured.
“And then if the system picks up on the license plates on the street in the city, it flags them and its sends them a citation in the mail,” Martin said.
Martin said there’s also a benefit to the scanner in solving crimes.
“So, say we have a homicide in New Iberia, we can put the license plate number into that system and if it passes in front of that LPR camera it will send us an alert,” Martin said.
“Miss Juanita,” a resident in St. Martinville said these cameras may keep people off the road who are uninsured.
“Oh I think that’s a great idea,” Juanita said. “It’ll keep you from wondering ‘I wonder if my aunt made it alright,” Juanita said. “because she said she was uninsured and she didn’t have the money to get insurance right now. Keep the car off the road boo, I think its a great idea.”
Monica Boatright, who works in St. Martinville said she is for the cameras.
“i think that’s a great idea,” Boatright said. “If i have to pay insurance every month i think everybody should have to pay insurance. And prevents us people from paying high premiums because of people with no insurance.”
Martin said the police department is hoping to have the cameras operating within a few months.
