diff --git a/runtime_data/openalpr.conf b/runtime_data/openalpr.conf
index 094c907..dd9a616 100644
--- a/runtime_data/openalpr.conf
+++ b/runtime_data/openalpr.conf
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ state_id_img_size_percent = 2.0
 max_plate_width_percent = 100
 max_plate_height_percent = 100
 
+opencl_enabled = 0
 
 ocr_min_font_point = 6
 
diff --git a/src/openalpr/alpr_impl.cpp b/src/openalpr/alpr_impl.cpp
index 621a1ae..383d5fd 100644
--- a/src/openalpr/alpr_impl.cpp
+++ b/src/openalpr/alpr_impl.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,34 @@ AlprImpl::AlprImpl(const std::string country, const std::string runtimeDir)
   this->topN = DEFAULT_TOPN;
   this->defaultRegion = "";
   
+  if (config->opencl_enabled)
+  {
+    
+    cv::ocl::PlatformsInfo platinfo;
+    cv::ocl::getOpenCLPlatforms(platinfo);
+    
+    for (int i = 0; i < platinfo.size(); i++)
+    {
+	std::cout << platinfo[i]->platformName << std::endl;
+    }
+    
+    cv::ocl::DevicesInfo devices;
+    cv::ocl::getOpenCLDevices(devices, cv::ocl::CVCL_DEVICE_TYPE_CPU);
+    
+    for (int i = 0; i < devices.size(); i++)
+      std:: cout << devices[i]->deviceName << std::endl;
+    
+    if (devices.size() > 0)
+    {
+      cv::ocl::setDevice(devices[0]);
+    
+      cout << "Using OpenCL Device: " << devices[0]->deviceName << endl;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      cout << "OpenCL initialization failed.  Runtime drivers may not be installed." << endl;
+    }
+  }
 }
 AlprImpl::~AlprImpl()
 {
diff --git a/src/openalpr/alpr_impl.h b/src/openalpr/alpr_impl.h
index 31f1e4f..9960901 100644
--- a/src/openalpr/alpr_impl.h
+++ b/src/openalpr/alpr_impl.h
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 #include "cjson.h"
 
 #include <opencv2/core/core.hpp>
+#include "opencv2/ocl/ocl.hpp"
+   
 
 
 #define DEFAULT_TOPN 25
diff --git a/src/openalpr/config.cpp b/src/openalpr/config.cpp
index 50a1720..282719e 100644
--- a/src/openalpr/config.cpp
+++ b/src/openalpr/config.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ Config::~Config()
 
 void Config::loadValues(string country)
 {
+  
+  opencl_enabled = getBoolean("common", "opencl_enabled", false);
   maxPlateWidthPercent = getFloat("common", "max_plate_width_percent", 100);
   maxPlateHeightPercent = getFloat("common", "max_plate_height_percent", 100);
 
diff --git a/src/openalpr/config.h b/src/openalpr/config.h
index b18dc07..34a5229 100644
--- a/src/openalpr/config.h
+++ b/src/openalpr/config.h
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ class Config
 
     string country;
     
+    bool opencl_enabled;
+    
     float maxPlateWidthPercent;
     float maxPlateHeightPercent;
     
diff --git a/src/openalpr/regiondetector.cpp b/src/openalpr/regiondetector.cpp
index cd64969..9839da8 100644
--- a/src/openalpr/regiondetector.cpp
+++ b/src/openalpr/regiondetector.cpp
@@ -28,23 +28,34 @@ RegionDetector::RegionDetector(Config* config)
   // Don't scale.  Can change this in the future (i.e., maximum resolution preference, or some such).
     this->scale_factor = 1.0f;
     
+    // Load either the regular or OpenCL version of the cascade classifier
+    if (config->opencl_enabled)
+    {
+      this->plate_cascade = new ocl::OclCascadeClassifier(); 
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      this->plate_cascade = new CascadeClassifier();
+    }
     
-    // Load the cascade classifier
-    if( this->plate_cascade.load( config->getCascadeRuntimeDir() + config->country + ".xml" ) )
-    { 
+    
+    if( this->plate_cascade->load( config->getCascadeRuntimeDir() + config->country + ".xml" ) )
+    {
       this->loaded = true;
     }
     else
     {
-      printf("--(!)Error loading classifier\n"); 
       this->loaded = false;
+      printf("--(!)Error loading classifier\n"); 
     }
     
+
+    
 }
 
 RegionDetector::~RegionDetector()
 {
-
+  delete this->plate_cascade;
 }
 
 
@@ -86,11 +97,19 @@ vector<Rect> RegionDetector::doCascade(Mat frame)
     Size minSize(config->minPlateSizeWidthPx * this->scale_factor, config->minPlateSizeHeightPx * this->scale_factor);
     Size maxSize(w * config->maxPlateWidthPercent * this->scale_factor, h * config->maxPlateHeightPercent * this->scale_factor);
     
-
-    plate_cascade.detectMultiScale( frame, plates, 1.1, 3, 
-				    0,
-				  //0|CV_HAAR_SCALE_IMAGE,
-				  minSize, maxSize );
+    if (config->opencl_enabled)
+    {
+      ocl::oclMat openclFrame(frame);
+      ((ocl::OclCascadeClassifier*) plate_cascade)->detectMultiScale(openclFrame, plates, 1.1, 3, 0, minSize, maxSize);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      
+      plate_cascade->detectMultiScale( frame, plates, 1.1, 3, 
+				      0,
+				    //0|CV_HAAR_SCALE_IMAGE,
+				    minSize, maxSize );
+    }
     
     
     if (config->debugTiming)
diff --git a/src/openalpr/regiondetector.h b/src/openalpr/regiondetector.h
index 0d53a0d..a02a54a 100644
--- a/src/openalpr/regiondetector.h
+++ b/src/openalpr/regiondetector.h
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@
 #include "opencv2/imgproc/imgproc.hpp"
 #include "opencv2/core/core.hpp"
 #include "opencv2/ml/ml.hpp"
- #include "opencv2/highgui/highgui.hpp"
+#include "opencv2/highgui/highgui.hpp"
+#include "opencv2/ocl/ocl.hpp"
 
 #include "utility.h"
 #include "support/timing.h"
@@ -54,8 +55,8 @@ class RegionDetector
     Config* config;
     
     float scale_factor;
-    CascadeClassifier plate_cascade;
-    CvSVM* svmClassifier;
+    CascadeClassifier* plate_cascade;
+    
     bool loaded;
     
     vector<Rect> doCascade(Mat frame);