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algorithms, as is the case with the latest and best
technology on the market.
Second, most people drive. This fact is supported
by a famous 2012 statistic from the International
Association of Chiefs of Police, which states that
70% of serious crime in the United States is related
to a motor vehicle. It is also supported by common
sense; it is rare to read a story about a violent crime
or terrorist attack in which the perpetrator did not
use a motor vehicle to get to, or away from, the
scene of the crime. In many cases, the vehicle even
becomes the weapon in the attack. Additionally, license plates are extremely difficult to fake. One
may reasonably point out that that doesn’t stop the
perpetrator from stealing and swapping out a plate
to prevent detection; however, even that need not
be a concern with the right ALPR solution. The best
object-based ALPR technology can determine the
make of the vehicle and discern whether the plate
attached to it belongs there by checking against appropriate databases.
The Rise of Citywide Surveillance
As mentioned earlier, the past several years have
July-Aug 2016 Edition
seen an increasing proliferation of video surveillance technology, among public and private entities
alike. Among the most notable are the rise of what
are often called Real-Time Crime Centers (RTCCs).
These centers centrally control networks of surveillance cameras strategically placed throughout their
cities, monitoring incoming data and relaying it to
law enforcement as needed. Often, as in the case
of St. Louis’ RTCC, these networks include ALPR
cameras, which ostensibly enable the centers to
detect suspect vehicles and track their movements
through the city.
Usually, these centers make use of “old-school”
ALPR technology, which is dependent upon cameras specially designed for the purpose, cameras
which are considerably more expensive than simple surveillance cameras. The added cost of these
cameras tends to mean that a relatively small number of them are deployed, severely limiting the ability of ALPR to find and follow persons of interest.
Recent years, however, have seen the advent of a
“new school” in ALPR that doesn’t require specialized cameras; rather, this software-only technology
can perform license plate captures using any of the
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