What Do Police See When They Run Your Plates?
When a police officer decides to run your license plate, they are accessing a wealth of information that can help them identify the vehicle, its owner, and even the driver. But what exactly do they see when they run your plates? In this article, we’ll delve into the details and explore what law enforcement agencies typically obtain when they perform a plate scan.
What Is a Plate Scan?
A plate scan, also known as a license plate reader (LPR) scan, is a quick and efficient way for law enforcement to gather information about a vehicle. The process involves capturing an image of the license plate and submitting it to a database to retrieve relevant information. Plate scans are often used in traffic stops, accidents, and suspicious activity investigations.
What Information Do Police Obtain?
When police run your plates, they typically access the following information:
• Vehicle Information: The plate scan provides the officer with the vehicle’s make, model, year, color, and VIN (Vehicle Identification Number).
• Registration Status: Police can determine if the vehicle is registered, if the registration is expired, and if there are any outstanding registration issues.
• Insurance Information: The officer can verify if the vehicle is insured and if there are any gaps in coverage.
• Owner and Driver Information: The plate scan provides the officer with the name and address of the vehicle’s registered owner and the name of the driver (if different from the owner).
• Wanted/Watch Lists: Police agencies may cross-check the plate scan against local, state, and national wanted lists, as well as Amber Alerts and other missing person notifications.
• Crime History: The officer may access a database of reported crimes to see if the vehicle has been involved in any criminal activity.
• Traffic Violations: Police can check for outstanding traffic violations, such as parking tickets or speeding tickets.
Additional Information They May See
In some cases, police may obtain additional information when running your plates, including:
• Speed and Location Data: If the plate scan is linked to a GPS device, police may obtain the vehicle’s speed and location data at the time of the scan.
• Mileage Information: Some plate scans may provide the vehicle’s odometer reading, which can be useful in insurance fraud investigations.
• Other Relevant Data: Depending on the jurisdiction and the plate scan software used, police may access other relevant data, such as the vehicle’s VIN, the manufacturer’s specifications, or any custom modifications.
Why Do Police Run Your Plates?
Police officers run plates for a variety of reasons, including:
• Traffic Stops: Police may run a plate to determine if a vehicle has any outstanding traffic violations or if the driver is suspended or revoked.
• Suspicious Activity: If police receive a report of suspicious activity, they may run a plate to determine if the vehicle is associated with the incident.
• Investigations: Plate scans can be used to gather evidence in crimes such as hit-and-runs, thefts, and burglaries.
• Missing Persons: Police may run plates to find a missing person or a suspect in a crime.
• Border Control: Plate scans can be used at border crossings to track the movement of vehicles and identify potential security threats.
Is It Legal to Run Your Plates?
In the United States, the legality of running plates varies from state to state. Some states have laws that prohibit the use of plate scans for certain purposes, such as racial profiling or harassment. However, in most cases, law enforcement agencies are authorized to run plates as part of their routine duties.
Conclusion
When police run your plates, they obtain a wealth of information that can help them identify the vehicle, its owner, and the driver. By understanding what information is obtained and why plate scans are used, we can better appreciate the importance of these tools in law enforcement and the potential benefits they bring to public safety. While plate scans are not a perfect system, they are an important tool in the fight against crime and a vital component of modern policing.
