License plate reader technology proposed for Baltimore police

Mayor Catherine Pugh is looking to add a piece of police technology that can automatically read license plates.
During remarks on Wednesday, the mayor discussed her efforts to reduce violence in the city. The statements followed a contentious debate in City Hall on Tuesday over a proposal to set mandatory minimum sentences of one year for gun possession.
Among many points about the ways in which she is addressing the city’s spike in violence, she said that she made a request to the state for money for the license plate reader tech.
“The State is also considering our funding request for License Plate Readers, which, among other advantages, allows for real-time identification of vehicles registered to persons of interest and those with outstanding warrants,” Pugh said, according to a transcript of her remarks.
In other police departments, license plate readers are often mounted on police cruisers, and read each license plate that the car passes.
It’s among a number of tech upgrades being considered for the Baltimore Police Department. Pugh is also seeking to bring gunshot detection technology, and received funding earlier this month for more laptops in patrol cars.
This story will be updated.