Sheriff testing high-speed plate scanner

Carson City Sheriff's Deputy Dean Williams generally runs about 20 license plates each day as he patrols throughout the city.

In about 20 minutes Tuesday, he ran 130 plates. Credit new technology installed on the light bar of his patrol car.

Vigilant Video Automatic License Plate Reader snaps a photo of every plate its lens falls upon and runs it through local and national law enforcement networks. If the plate is registered to someone with a warrant or comes back as related to a stolen vehicle, suspended or expired, the system immediately alerts the deputy. The vehicle description and GPS coordinates help officers find the offender. And each computer stores in an off-site location the plates run throughout the day, becoming an invaluable tool for investigations, said Sheriff Ken Furlong.

The two cameras mounted on each car can run an estimated 5,000 plates per shift, said Steve Adair, of Lehr Auto Electric. A four-camera system on a vehicle, which is what Furlong is considering, could run 10,000 plates a shift, he said.

"I hope that we can, through the use of technology, recognize stolen vehicles and wanted persons here in the community. This equipment will increase our awareness in our surroundings," said Furlong.

The equipment is on loan for a two-week period. If it's successful, Furlong said, he'll look to the city for funding.

"This is a technological advancement, and to me it's an inexpensive advancement," he said of the estimated $25,000 price tag per unit. "This device has not been approved for purchase. Before going to the city and requesting a final funding, it needs to be validated, and that's the entire purpose of this two-week trial."