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The Essex Union Auto Theft Task Force has a fresh set of eyes to look out for stolen cars.
These infrared instruments of vision are the heart of automatic license plate recognition units that use the latest technology to record plate numbers and match them with databases to see if they have been reported stolen.
The devices cost about $20,000 each and have already been installed in three of the task force's eight vehicles, according to Union County Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow. One was installed earlier this year and the others this month, he said.
"Each car has four mounted infrared cameras that capture license plates from a number of different angles," said John Holl, a spokesman for the office.
Sophisticated software scans the numbers and letters, and the characters are then matched with databases for vehicles associated with significant threats to public safety.
Not only can they spot a stolen car, but the high-tech units can also be used to track license plates on cars involved in carjackings, terrorism, drug dealing, murders and Amber alerts.
The speed and accuracy far exceed any previous technology, officials say. The high-tech scanners can process four license plates per second. They also work across multiple lanes of high-density traffic, according to county officials.
In the past, officers had to manually type in a license plate number into a mobile data terminal in their car.
"So far we've recovered 69 cars using the PlateScan technology. That's led to four arrests," Holl said.
Detective Tony Del Duca, commander of the auto theft task force, said the plate scan device has been a "tremendous help."
"It allows our officers to keep their eyes on the road, which increases safety," he said. "It's a valuable piece of equipment to us and to people who have their
Union County is among the first counties in the state to obtain the new devices. They were paid for with a federal Homeland Security grant, said Freeholder Chairman Angel G. Estrada in a prepared statement.
"We observed it in action in other jurisdictions, we were convinced that was a worthwhile investment, and we put it in place," Estrada said.
Additional units will be going to the county, Linden, Union, and Elizabeth police departments.
"The addition of new technology helps our investigators better execute missions, keep the public safe and ensure that we continue to catch the bad guys," Romankow said.
"We are, as always, grateful to the freeholders for their continued support as we work to recover sto len cars and give citizens peace of mind," he said.
The Essex/Union Auto Theft Task Force has recovered approximately $74 million worth of autos since it began operating in 1991.
In addition to increased effi ciency, the scanners have also brought notoriety to the officers. The task force and the new license plate scanners are featured in a new 13-week series called "Jacked," airing Thursday nights at 10 on A&E. One of the scanners also ap pears on the show's website in a video titled "It's A Numbers Game," at www.aetv.com/jacked.
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