The Chicago Police Department may be rolling out new technology to combat auto theft

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson joined forces with state lawmakers and community members to call for a change in state laws regarding auto theft. 

Representative Jaime Andrade Jr., Representative Arthur Turner, Representative Marcus Evans, Representative Kathleen Willis, Representative Kelly Burke, and Representative Luis Arroyo in the House, as well as Senator Tony Munoz and Senator Bill Cunningham in the Senate, proposed an update to the current language in Illinois’ possession of a stolen motor vehicle statute. 

The Mayor and Superintendent Johnson also announced police vehicles are being equipped with license plate reading technology. This will allow officers to quickly scan license plates. The new technology will be linked to the OEMC dispatch system, and access to the information will be available in CPD’s new strategic nerve centers. 

“Public safety cannot be a responsibility left in the hands of law enforcement alone and we need to address the problems we face from every angle to create an effective culture of accountability for violent offenders,” said Superintendent Johnson.

Photo: iStock/manop1984