Starkville police receive grant to purchase more license plate readers

Currently, the department has two operational LPRs.

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville police are adding technology to better serve the community and keep the streets safe.

The department received a $30,000 grant from the Mississippi Department of Homeland Security to purchase license plate readers.

Currently, the department has two operational LPRs.

When it comes to policing, updated technology can be essential for departments.

Starkville Police Chief Mark Ballard said, “Speed saves lives.”

And these new license plate readers will play a big role in that.

Starkville Police will be adding three new license plate readers to its fleet. The new equipment will be placed strategically in the community.

“These other LPRs are an expansion of LPRs we currently have. The particular ones we have now are going to be at major intersections and places of interest for law enforcement,” Ballard said.

Ballard said the LPRs will assist the department by providing real-time, quality information at a moment’s notice.

“I don’t think that people really understand the pressures that law enforcement is under. When a child is abducted or when a child goes missing, it’s up to us to develop, and many times it just that little bit of a lead that LPRs are able to provide,” Ballard said.

The new equipment will scan license plates and provide the make and model of the vehicle.

Then, the information will be put into a database that can help identify vehicles that were stolen or involved in crimes.

“When I first got into law enforcement, we were relying upon a law enforcement officer to hopefully come across the tag you were looking for versus these tools which are stationary that can check every vehicle that comes through the LPRs and are able to hit upon what is a stolen vehicle or a vehicle involved in a violent crime. And that is what we are using them for in this purpose,” Ballard said.

However, Ballard said this new equipment would not issue tickets.

“That is probably the number one question we deal with. No, it will not issue tickets. Again, our job here is protection and service and this is too valuable of a tool for us not to utilize,” Ballard said.

The department is waiting for the new license plate readers to arrive.

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