The centre of attention: Automated Number Plate Recognition software in Britain’s town centres. Glenn Davies, product manager at ADI-GARDINER explains the benefits of ANPR in town centre schemes.
Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) is one of the most sophisticated and reliable technologies being used in UK town centres by British police to help reduce crime.
The technology works by scanning snapshots of passing car number plates to create an electronic copy, which can then be checked against the Police National Computer (PNC) to provide live information about passing motorists. If the number plate is matched up with a criminal record stored on the database, the police can react instantly to pursue the offender. With these advantages ANPR is seen as a vital tool in tackling vehicle crime, and has recently been used by police in Operation Utah and several other roadside campaigns.
However ANPR can also play a vital role in general police and investigative work; by linking up the software to CCTV cameras in busy town centres, the police can cut down on commercial crime and make built-up urban areas safer for the people who frequent them. The local district council at High Wycombe has teamed up with Thames Valley Police to integrate ANPR into six town centre cameras. The cameras are capable of both pedestrian and vehicle monitoring, and can switch from one to the other at the touch of a button. Connected to the PNC, the cameras can provide instant criminal checks on those passing through the busy town centre areas and help local police react instantly to curb a range of crimes.
The technology is being used in a number of campaigns in urban areas. In Cheltenham, for example, police used CCTV cameras linked to ANPR technology to monitor and seize criminals during Operation Keyhole, a scheme to cut town centre crime and vehicle-related offences. The operation, between 10am and 6pm on Thursday, November 15, resulted in three arrests for shoplifting and possession of class A drugs, and brought a number of offending motorists to a standstill; officers seized three vehicles being used without insurance, and issued seven penalty notices for mobile phone and seat belt offences.
As well as reducing town centre crime, ANPR has the capacity to help local authorities monitor traffic more effectively, and provide a more precise service for local people. In Cambridge, a ‘tag and beacon’ system using ANPR software will underpin a scheme which exempts motorbikes from the city’s new congestion charge; thus ANPR will bring an immediate, tangible benefit to thousands of road users.
However there is still considerable scope for ANPR to become more effective in busy town centres. Because most CCTV cameras were installed before the advent of ANPR, many lack the shutter speed and infrared illumination to provide maximum coverage, and the height and position of individual cameras can also hinder the number plate recognition software.
In addition to its use in CCTV cameras, ANPR is set to become a vital tool for officers on foot throughout UK towns and cities. Increasing numbers of police forces are now adopting high-tech mobile cameras which can dovetail with ANPR software, giving patrolling officers access to the national police database and provide a live list of all known criminals in their particular area.
In Blackpool, the local police have recently begun piloting special helmets equipped with a miniature camera, which enables the officer to record suspects’ behaviour at any time. The cameras could eventually be linked to an ANPR database to give officers live information about a vehicle they are monitoring.
