The number of drivers pulled over by Connecticut State Police because of license plate scanners mounted on cruisers has skyrocketed in the past few years.
Data obtained by The Associated Press show troopers stopped nearly 6,800 drivers last year after being alerted by the special cameras, which receive information from criminal and motor vehicle databases. The number is up from about 1,600 in 2014. About 2,400 drivers have been stopped this year.
State police now have the scanners on 20 of the 400 cruisers assigned to patrol.
Like many other departments across the country, however, state police do not fully track the outcomes of the traffic stops initiated by license plate readers. It's not clear exactly how many people are being arrested or cited, and for which crimes and violations.
