License Plate Readers Coming to Busy Loves Park Streets

Sixteen years and seven traffic tickets ago, I  was sentenced to 120 hours of community in service and an entire weekend in the Benton County Jail.

What on earth could I have possibly done to receive such a harsh sentence? I was busted for driving after revocation 7 times in the span of three months.

How on earth does that even happen? Well, it started with a ticket for expired tabs and it just kind of snowballed from there. I knew my license was suspended, then revoked, but I kept driving anyway. Not because I'm careless or had no regard for the law, I just didn't have a choice. As a single mom, I had to get to work to not just pay rent and bills, but I had to pay for all these tickets.

I knew every time I got on the road I was taking a risk and I was so careful every time I got behind the wheel, but every time I got pulled over, it wasn't because I was speeding or had a tail light out, it was because a cop had randomly run my license plate; apparently there's something about a 2002 Mercury Sable that just sticks out to cops.

So, why am I telling you all this? I don't want you to end up like me. If you have a warrant or a suspended or revoked license, you'll want to get it taken care of right away, especially if you plan on driving through Loves Park.

According to the Rockford Register Star, Loves Park police are planning on lining busy streets with license plate readers. The hope is to catch criminals and recover stolen vehicles.

13 devices total will be placed at "along heavily traveled thoroughfares this fall."

Police Chief Chuck Lynde says the reader will scan plates, capture a photo and proceed to check if those plates have been flagged by law enforcement agencies; alerts will be sent to all laptops operating in department squad cars.

You can probably guess what happens next. Be safe, not stupid, out there.

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