WBRZ - Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE- License plate recognition technology, once reserved for police, is now being utilized by neighborhoods to fight crime.

The cameras catch a picture of the license plate and car and then compile it into a database that law enforcement can access.

"It actually reads the license plates as they go in or out of the neighborhood or both, and creates a database from the license plates, if an event happens they can go back and review and do searches in a much quicker fashion," said Leland Wolf, owner of Latech Securit & Surveillance, the company supplying the new technology.

Already some neighborhoods are using cameras to deter criminals, but some people think the newer technology would be worth the $8,000 price tag.

"It could keep you more secure, if the people know we have a better camera they will not come here to rob [us]," said Vetalia Berryhill, who lives in a neighborhood with cameras.

Not everyone wants to shell out the cash for the equipment, though.

"Any type of prevention is good, I just like the idea of having police in the neighborhood, just an actual person driving around or even walking around, that would be great, I just think that would be better than the cameras," said Richard Logsdon, a neighborhood resident.

Latech Security will hold an informational meeting Tuesday at 5:30 at their Coursey Boulevard location, for information click here.