DRPA approves police using license-plate-reading cams on bridges between NJ, Pa.

Soon your next ride between South Jersey and Philadelphia or Delaware County could have an extra set of cameras scanning your car and looking for trouble.

But, the cams that were authorized to pop up on Delaware River Port Authority bridges aren’t intended to make sure you’re paying your toll, they are on the lookout for potential criminal activity related to vehicles’ license plates.

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The DRPA confirmed to NBC10 Tuesday that last month its board authorized for the bridge operator to allow for the installation of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) on the Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, Commodore Barry and Walt Whitman bridges.

At a January DRPA meeting, the agency’s board “authorized staff to enter into a right of entry permit, indemnification agreement and memorandum of understanding with the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, the Division of the New Jersey State Police, for the installation of automated license plate readers,” DRPA spokesperson Mike Williams told NBC10.

NBC10 news gathering partner KYW Newsradio first reported the plan to install the potential crime-fighting cams.

“They will be able to read and identify license plates that may be of interest to law enforcement — whether they’re wanted for certain crimes, whether they’re part of a homeland security concern,” Robert Finnegan, DRPA chief security and safety officer, told KYW Newsradio.

The data gathered by the cameras “will aid in counterterrorism efforts, amber alerts and missing persons cases, along with crime detection and prevention,” Williams wrote to NBC10.

New Jersey State Police will operate and maintain the video surveillance system, the DRPA said. They will also be tasked with the costs related to the cameras.

No word yet on exactly when the new surveillance system could go live.