Police could use technology to read license plates

Des Moines police are looking into technology that would read license plates on passing vehicles to help officers find suspects and stolen cars. This would be part of an overall effort to use technology to the police department's benefit. The license plate recognition systems would be added to red-light cameras and mobile automated speed enforcement. City Council has given the police department the okay to request proposals from vendors for license plate readers for one patrol car and one vehicle in the parking enforcement unit.