The Rancho Cordova Police Department is now the proud owner of a very efficient new license plate scanner. Don’t worry all of you lead foot drivers, this isn’t for catching you going a smidgen too fast along Highway 50- unless the vehicle you’re driving happens to be stolen.

The device is called the automated license plate recognition system and it is far more efficient than your average officer working alone. On a normal shift, an officer can run about 50 license plates. The ALPR scans at least 800 in the same time.

The system works through 3 mounted cameras on the top of the police cruiser. Each camera takes pictures of random license plates and the images are sent through a Department of Justice database. The system then determines if the vehicle was stolen or if the owner has any felony warrants.

The Sacramento County Police Department claims the new system will greatly reduce stolen vehicles as well as pursuits.