Role of Automatic License Plate Recognition Technology in Policing: Results From the Lower Mainland of British Columbia

• NCJ Number: 225583
• Journal: THE POLICE CHIEF Volume: 75 Issue: 11 Dated: November 2008 Pages: 50-52
• Author(s): Norm Gaumont; Dave Babineau
• Date Published: November 2008
• Length: 3 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article reports on an evaluation of the feasibility of British Columbia’s (Canada) use of automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) technology, which captures and processes images of license plates and then checks them against a database of known plates.

Abstract

Based on the research conducted, this article concludes that ALPR technology will have a positive impact on all criminal and motor vehicle offenses in the Province of British Columbia. ALPR technology enables the police to scan a large number of license plates in a short period of time. The result is increased police efficiency, higher productivity, more arrests, and more convictions, with the potential for deterring the commission of crimes. A potential adverse impact of ALPR technology, however, is a substantial increase in officers’ workloads in responding to the “hits” from the ALPR system. Consequently, agencies that use ALPR cameras should develop a strategy for officers in prioritizing their responses. The feasibility study involved a pilot use of ALPR technology on four unmarked police vehicles deployed between October 10 and October 31, 2006. Of the 177,985 plates read during the initial study, 3,873 were “hits,” which means they were stolen license plates, or plates associated with stolen vehicles, prohibited drivers, unlicensed drivers, or uninsured vehicles. The aforementioned plates are automatically identified from all the plates captured with ALPR technology from a “hotlist” developed by the Canadian Police Information Centre and the British Columbia Motor Vehicle Branch. In British Columbia, ALPR is being used at sobriety road checks. Officers park the ALPR vehicle a short distance from the check point and scan the license plates of vehicles as they approach the stop. If a hit is registered, officers at the check point are advised, and the driver is confronted. 1 figure, 1 table, and 6 notes