Automatic License Plate Reading System

[tommyjk]

I just got an upclose look my Dept's new automatic license plate reader (ALPR) system. WOW! This is some amazing technology. There are two cameras mounted on the top of the car, one on each front corner pointing at passing cars. It automatically reads the plates of the cars that you pass and runs them through a database of stolen and wanted plates. I was impressed by how fast it was able to read the plates. Every time it would pass a car it would click to signal that it read a plate. When we took a sharp turn it clicked about 5 times in two seconds. My only question was if you could turn the system off just in case you werent "looking".

Heres the ALPR system in action in another Dept.
http://www.psp.state.pa.us/psp/cwp/v...?a=11&q=173708

[Twelve Volt Man]

It's funny that you posted this. Just this week, I'm in training in which an officer has a car with the license plate reader you mentioned. I had never seen it before, and was intrigued. From the outside, it looks like it has two radar antennas mounted on the roof. He told me that the thing will read a plate, run it, and check the registered owner's license and whether there are warrants, before the officer can ever get close enough to read it himself! It sounds impressive. He told me that it costs around $20,000, though! His department got it on some sort of grant.

[Roger Dat]

NYSP has been using them here for about a year. They had 2 cars running a detail at a joint county task force with my father on the midnight shift on a busy street. They ran 6,000 plates in 8 hours, 3 stolen vehicles, 2 driving on suspended and 6 for expired reg. Not bad work for sitting on the side of the road. Should be quite the revenue maker.

[chiefhuntr]

Now that sounds like fun.

[tommyjk]

Thats what I was thinking. You could sit in the car on the exit of the highway or somewhere where alot of cars passed, and let the cameras do almost all the work for you.

[chewy]

We use them at the border, it makes it a lot easier although they aren't 100 percent accurate, you have to watch them close because ours will screw up the numbers every now and again. Sure beats using a mirror however

[Taxx]

... He told me that it costs around $20,000, though! His department got it on some sort of grant.

Grants are the only way we get anything new in our department. And even when we do get it it is usually used.

[ngcsubutterbar]

I saw those on a UK police show; I really didn't believe they'd work as well as they did. Great tool, especially for highway enforcement. Wish I had a chance to use it.

[michiganstud]

MSP is currently using them and testing them out.

[Roger Dat]

The departments around here got them through grants, they can read plates as fast as if your driving north at 55 mph and someone is driving south at 55 it can pick it up, I didnt believe it till I saw it

[tommyjk]

Yeah we got ours on a grant as well. I think we only have one car outfitted with the system right now. The state wants weekly reports about what kind of numbers we get with the system, with the chance of getting more in the future.

[fatboyjim154]

I CANNOT believe we have had something useful in Law enforcement before you USA'ians did.

Well call ANPR and it's brilliant, some misreads, it might be down to the contrasting colours of our plates that Chewy gets few more than we do.

I think all cars should have along with dash cams, and expresso machines or course.




Jim

[scarlet_tunic]

We've had a similar system in Edmonton for about 5 years I think. It's an SUV with huge white cameras mounted on each side (facing forward though). I've seen it a few times....my only question is how does the system let the driver of the vehicle know?

[Roger Dat]

it doesnt, this is a tool for a P.O. to know the status of a vehicles reg an the drivers status instantly so he can stop the worst offenders, IE he can sit on the side of the road and wait till it pops a suspended driver or a stolen vehicle, etc and selectively stop the vehicles that are worht his time

[coucousis]

I want one.... NOW...

Motorola.. please be advised that I'm willing to test that system in Canada for you!!!:D