Operational Policing
Automatic Number Plate Recognition
It is operated as a proactive tool, with the primary objective of targetting terrorism, serious and organised crime and volume crime (for example as part of the City of London’s “ring of steel”) and anti-social behaviour. ANPR can also detect vehicle documentation offences such as uninsured driving and road tax evasion. Many of those who are stopped for committing routine road traffic offences by the police are, in fact, likely to have been involved in more serious offending.
Arrest Rate
ANPR technology has enabled police officers to produce an arrest rate equating to over nine times that of the nationally accepted average and to achieve three times the number of Offences Brought to Justice (from arrest through to being sentenced at Court) compared to conventional policing methods.
Funding
The Home Office has made £32.5 million available to the Police Service in years 2005-07 for the provision of ANPR technological development. A significant proportion of this funding has been allocated to the development of the National ANPR Data Centre (NADC) - a facility that will enhance the police’s post-incident investigation capability.
A great deal of care is being taken to ensure that the rights of the individual are safeguarded through the police use of ANPR-derived data. ANPR is, above all, about denying criminals the use of the roads, leaving law-abiding citizens to go about their business uninterrupted.
National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA)
As of 1st April 2007 the responsibility for the Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology will transfer from the Home Office to the
