The Newest Technology in Law Enforcement

857 Words2 Pages

The license plate reader, LPR is a mobile plate hunter that comprises of a camera(s) placed on the outside of a squad car that is then connected to a computer database inside the squad car. The plate hunter has the capacity to recognize the character on a number plate and rapidly relay the information to the database computer that would verify of the owner or the automobile has any record or if the vehicle has been reported stolen/missing. This ability is even possible when the squad car is moving at 75 mph and can check up to 3, 000 number plates within an hour. Any offending incidence is brought to the attention of the officers by a siren or alarm the computer makes; stolen or revoked license. (Hanlon 2007)

The system is also able to pick the face of the driver and saves it for future or further referencing; if the face of the driver is already in the database as a wanted criminal or any other offense, the computer also raises an alarm. The benefit of the license plate reader as noted by the Dayton law enforcers is that the gadget/technology has provided more eyes on the road and made the job more effective. According to the California police department, the license plate reader enabled it to retrieve 275 stolen vehicles in a period of six months and make 50 arrests within the same time; these would not have been possible without the help of the technology. The system is also employed by the Border control officers whereby vehicles coming in are automatically registered and stored in the database. (Hanlon 2007)

The first challenges that the system incurred were poor images as a result of the sun or headlight effects which made it hard for the optical vision or yielded very poor images. That is history now as the advanced lice...

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...ted that the system was an investment into the public safety and more crime solving in an effort to keep the streets crime free. (Tallahassee 2010)

References

Beyerlein Tom, ‘Police cruiser cameras raise civil liberty concerns’ Dayton Daily News, August 22, 2009. Retrieved on March 2, 2011 from http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/police-cruiser-cameras-raise-civil-liberty-concerns-261587.html?showComments=true

Hanlon Mike ‘Automated license plate recognition for law enforcement.’ Gizmag, February 21, 2007. Retrieved on March 2, 2011 from http://www.gizmag.com/go/7024/

Tallahassee Fla ‘FDLE’s new FALCON technology demonstrates its crime solving power.’ Wmbb.com abc News, September 3, 2010. Retrieved on March 2, 2011 from http://www.panhandleparade.com/index.php/mbb/article/fdles_new_falcon_technology_demonstrates_its_crime_solving_power/mbb7721866/

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