The Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office has issued 8,000 tickets for uninsured cars and trucks since installing license plate readers around the parish last year, The Shreveport Times reports.
Bossier Parish Sheriff Julian Whittington says the $200 citations were mailed to vehicle owners who drove by the cameras and were found to be uninsured.
Over the course of the past year, Baton Rouge-based LATECH installed 12 license plate readers at intersections throughout Bossier Parish. The original plan was to install up to 44 cameras, but Whittington says installation has been slower than he expected.
The agency stores camera data for 90 days, according to the sheriff, who adds there’s no expectation of privacy for drivers on public roads, and that the readers have helped apprehend criminals.
“They estimate anywhere between 15-20 percent of motorists are uninsured in the state,” Whittington said. “That’s pretty scary and expensive for those of us who do pay for our insurance.”
If the owner can prove a vehicle was covered by insurance at the time the ticket was issued, then the citation is dismissed. Read the full story.
