SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Just as thousands of Speedway Sparkplugs started the new school year, the Speedway Police Department is using new technology to ensure that daily drive is a safe one.
This year, the town of Speedway installed about 10 new license plate readers, or LPRs.
Lt. Jim Thiele, with the Speedway Police Department, said his officers use the readers to help fight, deter and prevent crime.
"They really are a force multiplier for us because our officers can't be at every location," Thiele said.
The LPRs capture plate information and immediately notify police if a vehicle pings as connected to a crime.
Thiele said that can include stolen vehicles, arrest warrants and even missing persons reports.
"These are notifications that our officers get in real time as the vehicle is passing through town, and it really allows us to be able to get on top of those things a lot quicker," Thiele said.
Installation of the new cameras started in March. So far, Thiele says they are working.
Speedway police have made several arrests and recovered several stolen cars, according to Thiele.
In addition to the LPRs, town leaders also gave the green light to speed radar displays in high-traffic areas around town.
"A person driving through and seeing their speed flash up on it may not realize how fast they're actually going until they actually see that," Thiele said. "There's a direct correlation between vehicles exceeding the speed and crashes that might occur at certain intersections."
The radars are designed to get drivers to slow down, especially in work and school zones.
"We can achieve that by stopping people and writing tickets, and if that's what we have to, that's what we'll do," Thiele said. "But if we can simply do that by making someone aware of how fast they're driving in a way that they don't receive a citation and it doesn't require an officer to have to pull them over, we're achieving the same thing."
Neither the radar displays nor the LPRs generate speeding tickets or citations. Thiele also confirms police are not watching live feeds from the LPRs around the clock.
"We want to make sure that people know, the video is not being monitored live by anyone," Thiele said. "It simply provides information to the police officers on duty as to what types of vehicles of high interest might be passing through."
Thiele said this new technology should come as a warning for criminals.
"Speedway is not the place to go," Thiele said.
Plus, Thiele said the systems should provide comfort for Hoosiers living, working or passing through Speedway.
"This is peace of mind for you, knowing that there is an extra tool being utilized to help to keep you safe," Thiele said.