OPP uses Licence Plate technology to nab Ottawa driver

CTV Ottawa: Smart-camera catches illegal drivers CTV's Matt Skube with a CTV Exclusive on the OPP's new rapid-fire camera that spots illegal license plates, and their drivers.

An OPP officer using licence plate recognition technology on his cruiser pulled over a vehicle on Highway 417 near Moodie Drive on Wednesday, Apr. 15, 2015 and promptly arrested the driver.

Police charged 38-year-old Patrick Joseph Paquette of Ottawa with driving while disqualified.

Paquette's vehicle was impounded for 45 days.

He is scheduled to appear in court in late May.

The OPP is the first police service in Ontario to use the Automatic Licence Plate Recognition technology.

The ALPR can scan up to 3600 licence plates an hour.

It registers an alert when a licence is either suspended or disqualified.

The technology uses the database of the Canadian Police Information Centre and the Ministry of Transportation to help nab illegal drivers.