No more meter maid, parking enforcement in Wenatchee is going high tech. The Police Department's old 3-wheeled cart broke down and was no longer worth maintaining. The department studied options and decided a chalk-less system was the future. Using lasers, digital cameras and GPS, plus a computer monitor and joy stick mounted in a small SUV, the tires of parked cars are no longer marked with chalk but rather digitally photographed. The system recognizes whether a car has exceeded the parking time limit and alerts the parking enforcement officer as he drives by.  Police Captain Edgar Reinfeld says the parking enforcement officer makes the final decision

 

 

Reinfeld says the Tannery Creek system cost $60, 000 with a $12,000 annual maintance contract.  The base model Nissan Juke SUV was just under $20 000.  Reinfeld says the department selected the system over other options that were based solely on license plate recognition or the position of a vehicle's valve stems.    Reinfeld says advantages include eliminating repetitive stress injury to elbows and wrists for enforcement officers from marking tires with chalk poles and more frequent trips through parking zones or neighborhoods for parking enforcement.  The vehicle is expected to be operational this week.

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