Automatically snapping photos of every vehicle’s license plate at ferry docks sounds like something out of a futuristic movie, but it’s a reality for Colman Dock and the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal, and some day it could come to Whidbey Island.

The Washington State Patrol turned on eight cameras Wednesday morning, four at each dock. This pilot project, called an Automatic License Plate Recognition System, automatically photographs the rear license plate of every car passing each toll booth and checks it with FBI databases. It can take photos day and night in any weather.

“This is absolutely not unconstitutional,” said Sgt. Trent Cain. “It’s another layer of security we offer.”

The cameras don’t photograph people. Only the license plate is recorded and then checked against four critical lists to see if the vehicle is stolen, if there is an AMBER Alert for the vehicle, if the subject associated with the vehicle is wanted for a serious crime, and if the license plate is associated with a known or suspected terrorist.

If any of these are the case, police officers are alerted.

“Recognition of the plate may be automatic, but any action is still taken by live police officers using discretion and good judgment. The system simply alerts troopers to vehicles that might warrant some extra attention,” said Capt. Mark Thomas, head of WSP’s Homeland Security Division, in a news release.

Photographs are stored for up to 60 days, then purged completely from the system. Vehicle owner information is not stored with the photos.

Colman Dock and the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal were selected because they are two of the state’s busiest ferry terminals. At a price of $12,000 per camera, this technology won’t be reaching Whidbey Island ferry terminals in the near future.

“This is a pilot project. We’ll see what the cameras will do for us here,” Cain said.

This system will cause “no delays whatsoever” to ferry riders, Cain assured. The camera can take a shot of a car going 200 miles per hour past the tollbooth, so drivers won’t even realize it’s happening, according to Cain, who has heard mostly positive feedback to date.

“I’ve been reading that people are happy we’re putting another layer of security at the ferries,” Cain said.