DETROIT (WXYZ) — This week, Michigan State Police began installing license plate readers along metro Detroit freeways, which is part of a pilot program before expanding the cameras across the state.
MSP hopes the cameras will deter criminals and bring down the number of shootings on Michigan freeways.
“It's modern policing," Lt. Michael Shaw with the Michigan State Police said. "Technology is the wave of the future for everything.”
First installed on Monday along the Southfield Freeway and I-96, the cameras capture the license plate of every car on the road then stores them in a database for 30 days. MSP says they will only be used while investigating violent or serious crimes.
“They don't detect speed, there’s no facial recognition, it doesn't take a picture of anybody in the car. It takes a picture of the back of the car and the license plate,” Shaw explained.
Shaw estimates the cameras could quadruple their chances of making an arrest in the case of freeway shootings, which occur dozens of times a year in metro Detroit. Earlier this week on Jan. 30, the same day the cameras began being installed, police responded to a shooting on M-10 near Grand Boulevard.
“If we would've had a license plate reader in that area at that time, we’d probably already have someone in custody," Shaw said. "That’s how effective of a tool they are.”
But some metro Detroit drivers have concerns. Some felt that money could be spent elsewhere, and others feared the technology could be abused in the future.
“I don't like it," driver Keyon Jones said. "I feel like that’s a violation of privacy and I think they shouldn't do that.”
“I think it’s terrible. I think they should create more programs to help more people with mental issues and problems and attack the main problem with this violence in the community,” driver Marcus Brown said. “I think just trying to arrest people isn't the way to go, I think they should get to the core of the problem.
“It will help in certain situations, looking for someone at large, looking for the real criminals, hopefully," driver Michael Buzzitta said. "But I hope it doesn't get used for petty stuff. I feel like it will be abused and used to pester people.”
But Shaw noted the readers are already being used by a number of other agencies and businesses across metro Detroit and are an important tool in keeping roads safe.
"License plate readers are already there. Private businesses own them. They’re in casinos, we've had neighborhood watch groups that have bought them and put them in their neighborhoods,” Shaw said. “If you’re upset about what's happening in your neighborhood or on your freeway, you can't really complain when somebody is bringing up a tool to try and make that go away.”
It’s unclear how long this pilot program will last and state police would not disclose the exact number of cameras in operation right now, but more will be installed through the end of the week.
