Queensland Police buys into number plate recognition

The Queensland Police Service has revealed plans to put at least one automatic number plate recognition box in the state's eight police regions by mid-2012.

The service purchased its first unit this week from Aspect and said it would use it to target unlicensed and unregistered motorists during the Easter school holidays.

A Police spokesman told iTnews that the supplier for the remaining seven units had not been finalised.

Queensland Police had earlier run a year-long trial of the technology and had subjected it to further evaluation by the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety.

The state's police minister Neil Roberts said the technology was "another tool police can use to catch those whose behaviour is putting their life and the lives of other motorists at risk."

He said unlicensed or unregistered motorists were three times more likely to be involved in a traffic accident than other drivers.

The technology is already in use in the state of Victoria.