By Greg Higgins

Automatic plate readers to identify unregistered vehicles are coming to North Battleford

Jul 19, 2016 | 5:16 PM

Unregistered vehicles are a big problem in North Battleford but thanks to a new device they will be easier to detect.

Community safety officers in the city will soon be equipped with automatic license plate readers. Albert Headrick, director of protective services, said the readers are much needed.

“In the last 18 months we have had 552 unregistered violations and that’s inputting plates manually which we can’t do while driving,” Headrick said. “When they get these devices on the vehicles that number is going to escalate.”

The device consists of four to five cameras hooked up to a community safety patrol vehicle. The cameras capture plates from all angles and run them automatically. If it picks up an unregistered vehicle the officer will be notified via his computer and the driver will be pulled over and ticketed.

The penalty for operating an unregistered motor vehicle is $580 and sometimes results in the vehicle being impounded.

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“Unregistered vehicles cause a real danger if they get into an accident,” Headrick said. “The odds of the person hit getting compensation would probably be null and void.”

Headrick said readers are not new in Saskatchewan. Other municipalities and RCMP have equipped readers over the last few years. This will be the first time the devices are used in North Battleford.

The city decided to apply for a sponsor to get the $30,000 needed to obtain and install the readers. The Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs provided a Community Development Corporation grant to cover costs. Headrick believes Saskatchewan Government Insurance will match the grant and provide a second unit.

If all goes to plan there will be two cruisers fitted with readers before the end of the year.

Greg Higgins is battlefordsNOW’s city municipal affairs and health reporter. He can be reached at ghiggins@jpbg.ca or tweet him @realgreghiggins.