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By Angela Gemmill

Greater Sudbury Police have a new tool in their arsenal to help get suspended drivers off the road.

Thanks to a $35,000 provincial grant, GSPS was able to equip one cruiser with Automated License Plate Recognition Technology, which uses three exterior cameras to capture plates of nearby vehicles.

Inspector Todd Zimmerman says just one police vehicle will have the cameras mounted for the next year as a pilot project to determine the effectiveness of the technology.

It’s meant to nab suspended drivers, and detect stolen vehicles, expired validations and vehicles listed with an amber alert.

The cameras are mounted on the front, back and side of the cruiser and can scan plates from oncoming vehicles, those following the cruiser and parked vehicles the cruiser passes.

Sergeant Steve Russell calls this a tool to help make a safer community.

He says in just the first few hours of operation on its first day today, officers detected four suspended drivers, including one with an unsafe vehicle and no insurance.