CitySync, provider of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR / ALPR), reports an uptake in contracts to enable existing town centre CCTV systems with their ANPR / ALPR technology.
Recent contract wins include Aylesbury, Liverpool, High Wycombe, and Windsor adding to the large pool of existing Town Centre clients. Northampton Town Centre which was the UK’s first to add ANPR to its town centre CCTV system is in the process of replacing the original technology with CitySync’s.
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How it works
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The system works by connecting the CCTV video streams to PCs running CitySync’s recognition and application software. The number plate data is extracted and matched against up to 60 or so police databases in real-time. When a match or ‘hit’ is made an alarm condition alerts the systems controller who will then initiate the appropriate action. The purpose of adding ANPR technology to town centre CCTV systems is to reduce serious and volume crime by denying criminals the use of the roads. The strategic importance of this in the fight against crime should not be underestimated. Denying criminals’ use of the roads prevents access to the primary means of transport for a whole raft of criminal activity. It includes the transportation of drugs, stolen property and articles for use in crime and transport to and from the scenes of crimes such as robberies and burglaries as well as vehicle offences in their own right.
Funding comes largely from the Home Office through Project Laser which was highly successful in its Phase I trials:
"Results from the pilot exceeded expectations: In the first 26 weeks of ANPR Project Laser 1, ANPR enabled intercept police officers in the 9 pilot forces stopped 39,429 vehicles leading to 3,080 arrests. It also achieved over 100 arrests per-full time ANPR officer per year – the average for police officers is 10 per year". ‘ Source Home Office Press Release 6.05.04
What they say
Lawson Noble, CitySync’s Chief Technical Officer added "CitySync is the favoured ANPR Technology Solution for Police Mobile Systems and Town Centre CCTV due to the speed of recognition, accuracy and ability to capture plates at skewed angles typically experienced when retrofitting ANPR to existing Town Centre CCTV systems where the cameras were originally located without any thought that ANPR may be added in the future. We have also spent a year developing our user interface and alarm processing software to make it very attractive to users".
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Meanwhile the firm has launched their Mark III Jet Recognition Engine specifically developed to read US, Canadian and other challenging number plates. CitySync do not sell direct to users and will be working with a network of systems integrators who will be trained and supported by the company.
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Frank Thomson, CitySync’s CEO said: "There are already some endemic ANPR / ALPR Technology providers in North America but as their technology generally delivers a much lower accuracy than users demand there is a substantial opportunity for us. The plates across the pond are more challenging than European plates and they can feature bears, palm trees, dolphins and mountains so we have invested considerable effort to perform better than the existing players. As well as having our own recognition IPR CitySync also manufacture a range of cameras and hardware platforms to enable us to provide the complete solution for either fixed or mobile systems. We also have the application software and experience of delivering large scale homeland security systems essential in the fight against terrorism".
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Further information
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CitySync are based in Hatfield in England and are exporting their ANPR / ALPR technology to around 30 countries. For further information, please contact CitySync on 01707 275 169.</br>
