It’s difficult to get people to follow traffic rules in such situations, even if they make traffic safer. However, regardless of how many vehicles are on the road at any given time, one thing is certain. Enforcement of traffic rules is a major part of law enforcement’s responsibility. We have not even touched on other responsibilities, such as preventing or eliminating burglaries, auto thefts, personal assaults, vandalism, and so forth.
ALPR cameras are able to relieve officers from many of these duties. It is possible to make law enforcement more efficient and cheaper if there are fewer officers required to complete a task.
There are some people who don’t like the widespread use ALPR cameras. While many citizens go about their day, they may be able to have their plates read or even retained. Law enforcement agencies need to be respectful and responsible in using their data. This will prevent them from infringing upon personal privacy. The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation in Europe) restricts how personal data can and cannot be used.
What role do ALPR cameras play in law enforcement?
Traffic Enforcement
To maintain safety on roads and highways, orderly traffic flow is essential. Traffic safety is made possible by the rules of road, which include speed limits, traffic signals and conventions. These rules and conventions should be enforced and punished.
It’s no surprise that traffic enforcement is a high-priority responsibility for police and other law enforcement agencies. The following sections will provide information about situations where ALPR cameras can help these agencies fulfill their responsibilities.
Speed Regulation
Accidents are often caused by speeding. Speeding is a major cause of accidents. A car moving 30-40 km/h faster that the traffic flow can surprise other drivers. This can set off a chain reaction and lead to an accident that could involve multiple vehicles in high-density traffic.
Many ALPR cameras have been specifically designed to monitor the speed of vehicles passing them. Vidar Speed ALPR camera can simultaneously monitor speeds of up to 64 vehicles in two lanes. These cameras can measure speeds of up to 320 km/h (199 MPH) so officers can quickly identify vehicles that are driving faster than the flow.
What happens if an ALPR camera mounted on a vehicle isn’t sufficient? What if police agents need to follow someone or inspect areas not covered by fixed speed cameras. Officers can detect speeders and other traffic violators using vehicle-mounted cameras like Adaptive Recognition’s MicroCAM from the vantage point in a patrol car. This camera can recognize all plates that are near it and is a great tool to identify vehicles on a hot list, such as stolen cars or others associated with crimes.
Red Light Violations
Red light violations are one of the most dangerous offenses. Red light violations can lead to accidents. The collisions of vehicles almost always occur at right angles. This can cause severe injury and damage.
An ALPR camera can capture red light violators in action, sometimes even at a considerable distance.
Other Miscellaneous Traffic Violations
“Lane-jumping,” tailgating and driving on closed roads or shoulders of non-travel highways, as well as other violations, can all disrupt traffic and lead to accidents.
These behaviors are difficult to detect electronically, unless they happen near an ALPR camera-equipped gantry. The vehicle-mounted MicroCAM is the best tool to apprehend drivers who engage in them.
Automatic High Speed Toll Collection
Although toll collection does not directly impact law enforcement, it can greatly improve traffic safety. It is one of the most important safety-related uses of ALPR cameras.
It is very risky for cars to slow down or stop at highway speeds. Drivers traveling at speeds of 100 km/h or more may suddenly encounter a line at a toll station. If a vehicle is not able to stop in time, it could crash into other cars, causing serious accidents. This disruption was eliminated by installing gantries that capture license plates with cameras.
Enforcement of Non-Traffic-Related Law
ALPR cameras can also be used to assist law enforcement in other criminal activities, such as car theft and burglary.
In this section, we’ll be discussing a few of these applications.
Car Theft
ALPR cameras are a great tool for apprehending car thieves. ALPR cameras can read every license plate near them. There are several models. A car that is stolen is added to an ALPR hot list. When it passes a camera equipped with this capability, it can be easily identified.
Even if the thief alters the license plate, it is possible that the plate they used would be stolen. Many ALPR cameras can be programmed with the ability to identify cars’ make and model. Although it is not as easy as reading the vehicle’s license plate, this method can help narrow down your search.
Other Burglaries and Personal Assaults
Cars are often around crime scenes. In fact, crimes almost always involve cars or another vehicle. Identifying the vehicles around the scene can help you identify the perpetrator.
As mentioned earlier, this is another instance where vehicle-mounted ALPR camera can prove to be very useful. There is a greater chance that the evidence can be found quickly if a mobile unit responds quickly to a crime report.
