- 4875 -

TO: Capt. Mark Francisco, ADC, Research and Development Division

FROM: Sgt. Michael Hicks, Supervisor, Research Section

SUBJECT: Automated License Plate Recognition Implementation Project Closeout

The Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) implementation project began in December of 2009. The project began after a site visit to the Memphis Tennessee Police Department, Real Time Crime Center where the value of the ALPR systems was·. demonstrated. The initial December 2009, memorandum requested the purchase of two ALPR systems from ELSAG North America. In January 2010, another four systems were requested. The Special Operations Division purchased a seventh ALPR system using a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation. The purchase of the first three systems was completed on 02/16/2010. The final four systems were purchased on 03/17/2010. The vendor shipped all ALPR equipment to KCPD during the month of April 2010. On 04/06/2010, the Research and Development Division held a meeting between all department stakeholders and a representative from ELSAG North America. The meeting allowed department elements such as Fleet Operations, Communication Support, and the Information Services Division to coordinate with the vendor prior to any installation of the product. During the meeting the installation date on 06/01 and 06/02, 2010 was set. While waiting for the installation of the car systems, work was completed on server requirements, department policy, and deployment strategies.

On 06/01/2010, representatives of ELSAG North America and a local contractor, Bush and Associates, met at the Communications Support Division to install seven ALPR systems. On 06/02/2010, ELSAG North America held a 2-hour training session at the Regional Police Academy. The vendor provided training to 23 patrol sergeants that included in-class instruction and hands on work with the ALPR equipment.

Five systems were installed and functioning during the first week of June. The installation of the two remaining systems was delayed due to the lack of Mobiie Data Computers (MDC). Deployment of the ALPR cars was delayed due to compatibility issues between the MDC, docking station, and ALPR equipment. There was a water leak involving water in the trunk of the police vehicle due to the ALPR equipment installation. The vendor sent a technician to Kansas City to fix the water leak during the second week of June. Several strategies were employed to move past the compatibility issues and get the cars deployed. The ALPR cars were rolled out to the Patrol Bureau on a staggered schedule due to these issues. Initially three of the seven systems were deployed in June, North Patrol Division, South Patrol Division and Special Operations Division. In mid July, Network Administration worked with the vendor to solve issues involving the ALPR server and the ELSAG Operation Center (EOC). The remaining four ALPR car syste·ms were deployed the week of July 11. The Perpetrator Information Center, C-Star 1 Homeland Security, and GIS Analysts were trained in how to use the EOG for investigative purposes.

- 4876 -

On 07/15/2010, the Executive Cpmmittee approved the" proposed Department Memorandum entitled, "Automated License Plate Recognition". On 08/11/2010, the Chief of Police signed the Department Memorandum 10-11 into policy.

As of the date of this memorandum, all seven ALPR systems are fully functioning and deployed. There are over 1.1 million plate reads in the database with over 22000 hits. The ALPR patrol cars are averaging over 4000 plate reads per car, everyday day. Each patrol division has developed a specific plan for deployment of the ALPR car with the goal of having the cars working in the field 24 hours a day. The feedback from officers in the field using the equipment is overwhelmingly positive. A few patrol officers and sergeants were initially skeptical of this new technology; they are now supporters. There are numerous successes stories involving stolen cars, vehicle pursuits, warrants, and" drug arrests, all started by an ALPR hit.

The Automated License Plate Recognition implementation project, administered by the J! Research and Development Division is complete. The responsibility for daily apPlicatiown . 'j..

administration of the ALPR systems is ready for transfer to the Patrol Bureau. The Patrol Bureau has designated Sergeant Pat Rauzi, Special Project Supervisor as the r-J. J ALPR Applications Administrator. Sgt. Rauzi has already been working to transition th s N~ ,~ projects daily operation to the Patrol Bureau. During the transition phase, ELSAG North...J> r America" will conduct applications administration training, involving the ELSA<,::l"",,'") Operations Center. Training tools and project implementation documents will ~V '--supplied to Sgt. Rauzi. The Research and Development Division will work with Sg . "'-.9-Rauzi to ensure a smooth transition of the project to the Patrol Bureau and remain as a ---!Z. J resource. I have attached several annexes with resource and project documents. I have \} ~ f> also complied all documentation and resources into electronic form and will "provide the :" ~ f disk to Sgt. Rauzi. ~ Ie

I recommend the ALPR implementation project be closed and daily administration of the ~ J) ALPR ,,]"ipment be tram",rred to the P,trol B"rn'~ <::~ I: 1:4: ? '1 ! nfl-I;'" 1I.?7~";(/ ~ , ~

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- 4877 -

TO:

FROM:

SUBJECT:

!III E !III 0 RAN 0 U!III RECEIVED

--- - ~-~ -- JUN 1'7 2010 June 8, 2010 -3

CHIEfS OFFICE

RECEIVED

JUN 11 2010 #-c9.

Professional Development & Research Bureau

Capl Mark Francisco, ADC, Research and Development Division

. AUG 09 2010 Sgt. Michael Hicks, Supervisor, Research Section ~ 07 i4'.i1

. CHIEFS OFF!Cr;;:-Department Memorandum entitled "Automated license Plate Recognition" "

The proposed department memorandum entitled "Automated License Plate Recognition" is complete (Annex A). This directive was written using best practice guidelines from outside jurisdictions. Professional law enforcement resources were searched including IACP.net and IALEP. Model pOlices were obtaIned from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, Nye County Nevada Sheriff's Department, and the Prince William County Virginia Police Department (Annex 8).

On April 15, 2010, I traveled to St. Louis, Missouri to attend the St. Louis area ALPR User Group meeting (Annex C). Officer Shane Placeway of the Richmond Heights POlice Department conducted the meeting with representatives from local pOlice departments that had ALPR equipment deployed. Policy concerns and data retention periods were discussed.

On May 3, 2010, I participated in a free ALPR policy and deployment webinar sponsored by the Advanced Law Enforcement Technology Branch and the National Institute of Justice - Office of Science and Technology_ Deputy Chief Hassan Aden of the Alexandria Virginia Police Department conducted the webinar. Information learned during the webinar was incorporated into the proposed department memorandum. A copy of the Alexandria Virginia Police Department ALPR policy was included as a resource during the webinar (Annex B).

On June 3, 2010, concurrence requests were sent to the Information Services Division, Communications Support Unit, Fleet Operations Unit, Perpetrator Information Center, and the Patrol Bureau. Members of the Research and Development Division reviewed the proposed department memorandum for accuracy. .

I recommend the proposed department memorandum be forwarded to the Chiefs Office for inclusion on the next Executive Committee meeting agenda.

~ .. , ,/d<l;'~ Sg!. Michael - I ks //cIJ

88

- 4878 -

, Endorsement Page

Proposed Department Memorandum; "Automated Ucense Plate Recognition" Re:

Unit/Section Supervisor Capt. Francisco, June 8, 2010

I recommend forwarding to the Chief's Office for inclusion on the July 8, 2010 Executive Committee meeting agenda. ~_,~~ 1<1

. Sgf.~~ Unit Commander

Division Commander

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Bureau Commander ""~ ':"'\r~" '. . \ ' \ 1 '-.-r' (4 ~~_ {C'\6 crlC: 2 K>@

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72- D. 6(7/tO Chief of Police

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Board Action

Form 220 P.O. (Rev. 7·2007)

- 4879 -

MEMORANDUM

July 23, 2010

To: Deputy Chief Nick Nichols, Executive Officer, Chief's Office

From: Officer Jay McCune, Administrative Aide, Chief's Office

Subject: Executive Committee Meeting Minutes - July 15, 2010

On July 15, 2010 at1400 hours, the Executive Committee Meeting convened in the Chief's Office. Those in att~ndance included: Deputy Chief Nick Nichols, Colonel Kevin Masters, Colonel Darrell Forte', Colonel 0{ Ritter, Colonel Cheryl Rose, General Counsel Lisa Morrisj Director' Rick Brisbin, Major Patty Higginsj Captain Mark Francisco, S~rgeant Julie Grot~, Sergeant Jennifer Chronister and Sergeant Kate Ellis.

The following is a summary of the items discussed:

so

- 4880 -

Executive Committee Meeting Minutes July 23, 2010 2

- 4881 -

Executive Committee Meeting Minutes July 23,.2010 3

13.Proposed Department Memorandum entitled, "Automated License Plate Recognition." - Dir. Brisbin

Capt. Francisco presented the item. After a brief discussion, the item was approved.

LATE ADD-ON ITEMS:

At the conclusion of the formal agenda the meeting was adjourned.

Sgt. Mike Schofield #3938 Operations Sergeant Chief's Office

- 4882 -

II

" SUBJECT

KANSAS CITY, MO. POLICE DEPARTMENT DATE OF ISSUE

DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM

Automated License Plate Recognition REFERENCE

EFFECTIVE DATE NO.

AMENDS

RESCINDS

Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) patrol vehicles are equipped with a specialized camera system that actively scans license plates. The system compares license plate scans to a hoWs!. The hotlist consists of copied records from multiple criminal justice databases that are uploaded to the ALPR systems daily. The system . alerts the officer when a hit occurs. The mobile data computer displays images of the license plate, vehicle, and associated criminal justice information. The license plate scan data including images, GPS location, and license plate information is electronically stored for future investigative use.

The following responsibilities and procedures define the use of ALPR systems.

A. The Patrol Bureau is responsible for assignment of personnel and deployment of police vehicles equipped with ALPR systems.

B. The operation of ALPR systems is restricted to law enforcement members who are trained and are assigned to ALPR patrol vehicles.

C. Officers assigned to ALPR patrol vehicles will operate the system during their entire tour of duty and ensure the hollist upload is current.

D. Officers will verify all ALPR system alerts via dispatch or MOC before initiating a vehicle stop.

E. If an ALPR vehicle becomes involved in a pursuit situation, every attempt will be made to use a non-ALPR police vehicle as primary and secondary. The ALPR vehicle will then terminate involvement in the pursuit and assume a support role.

F. The Perpetrator Information Center is responsible for providing ALPR stored data analysis to investigative elements. All ALPR data will be stored for 6 months and then purged to digital archive.

G. Investigative elements needing an ALPR for use in a criminal investigation will make requests through the effected patrol division's watch commander.

H. The Communications Support Unit will be notified when ALPR equipment is damaged or malfunctions. Damage will be documented according to current department directives. ELSAG North America will maintain all ALPR equipment under warranty.

James O. Corwin Chief of Police

- 4883 -

Endorsement Page Departmell1t Memorandum "Automated License Plate Recognition"

RECEIVED

JUL 28 20m :It-:1-, Re:

Unit/Section Supervisor

Professional Development & Reseal'eh Bureal!

Capt. Francisco, 07/27/2010 On 07/15/2010, the Executive Committee reviewed the proposed Department Memorandum entitled "Automated License Plate Recognition". The policy was approved with minor revisions. The final document. is attached; I recommend forwarding to the ~J.0Y'0lice for signature.

~~iCkS4125 "

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Division Commander

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Bureau Commander

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J2~c ;3~ Chief of Police

Board Action

Form 220 P.O. (Rev. 7-2007)

- 4884 -

Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department

FIELD OPERATIONS DIRECTIVE

Field Operations Support Services, (323) 526-5760

FIELD OPERATIONS DIRECTIVE: 09-04 DATE:

ISSUED FOR: OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY FIELD OPERATIONS REGIONS DETECTIVE DIVISION TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION

August 17, 2009

AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION (ALPR) SYSTEM

Purpose

The purpose of this directive is to establish procedural guidelines and responsibilities of personnel and units utilizing the Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) system. As with any technical system, adherence to standards and procedures is a key element to the success of the system. .

Background

ALPR is a computer-based system that utilizes special cameras to capture a color image, as well as an infrared image, of the license plate of a passing vehicle. The infrared image is converted into a text file utilizing Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. The text file is automatically compared against an "informational data file" containing information on stolen or wanted vehicles as well as vehicles associated with AMBER alerts, warrant subjects or other criteria. If amatch is found, the user is notified of the vehicle "hit" by an audible alert and an associated notation on the user's computer screen.

ALPR cameras can be mobile (mounted on vehicles) or on fixed positions such as freeway overpasses or traffic signals. ALPR systems mounted on vehicles have all the necessary equipment to scan plates, notify the user of a vehicle hit, and store the plate scan data for uploading into the ALPR server at a later time. ALPR fixed positions transmit plate scan data to the ALPR server as they are scanned and notify a central dispatch, such as a station desk, of any vehicle hit.

ALPR cameras can photograph thousands of plates in a shift. All plate scan data collected from the ALPR cameras is transmitted to an ALPR server. The ALPR server resides within the Sheriffs Data Network (SDN). In addition to software applications that are used to run the ALPR server, the ALPR server also houses the "informational data file" containing wanted, stolen, or vehicles of interest, as well as all the plate scans

·Originally Issued: 08-17-09 Revised:

Page 1 of 4

- 4885 -

AUTOMATED LiCENSE PLATE RECOGNITION (ALPR) SYSTEM FaD: 09-04

captured by the ALPR cameras.

The informational data file is comprised of information from the Stolen Vehicle System (SVS), Felony Warrants System (FWS), Countywide Warrant System (CWS) , and user defined "hot lists." The Informational data file is updated throughout the day with different data sources being "refreshed" at different intervals. SVS/FWS data is refreshed from the state database three times per day, CWS data is refreshed from the warrant repository twice a day, and hot list data is refreshed upon input into the ALPR server.' It is important that ALPR users take into account the amount of lag time between receiving an ALPR hit notification and the last updating of the informational data file within the mobile ALPR unit database.

When possible, confirm that the mobile ALPR unit hit information is still valid, either through the Sheriffs Communication Center (SCC) or via your Mobile Digital Terminal (MDT) prior to taking police action. Confirmation can be deferred in rare circumstances (i.e. special investigative units) when compelling circumstances may exist that, if SCC is contacted, could jeopardize the investigation and/or officer safety.

Fixed ALPR cameras have a continuous connection to the ALPR server. They are capable of uploading plate scan data to the ALPR server as the scans occur. ALPR scans can be compared against the informational data file immediately when the data sources are updated.

Mobile ALPR units do not have a continuous connection to the ALPR server. In order to facilitate the exchange of data, most stations and other designated facilities have installed wireless access points which will allow connectivity to the ALPR server via wireless transmission. Once in range of a wireless access point, mobile ALPR users can activate an onboard "sync button" which will upload plate scan information from the vehicle to the Al.PR server and/or download the latest informational data file from the Al.PR server to the vehicle. It is imperative that mobile ALPR users sync their mobile units at least once at the beginning of their shift to ensure they have the latest informational data available.

Policy and Procedures

Units utilizing ALPR technology shall publish unit [eve I policy to govern procedures on ALPR usage as well as the syncing of data between the mobile ALPR un its and the ALPR server.

Mobile ALPR unit users receiving an alert that a vehicle is stolen, wanted or has a warrant associated with it shallimmediate[y confirm the status of the vehicle by running the license plate either manually via the MDT/CAD or over the radio via SCC, unless compelling circumstances are present or officer safety issues make it unsafe to do so. [n such cases, deputies shall confinn the status of the wanted vehicle as soon as possible. When requesting SCC to confirm the status of an ALPR alert,. the deputy shall

Originally Issued: OB-17~09 Revised: I ",tpd Rp,visfon: Page 2 of 4

- 4886 -

AUTOMATEO LiCENSE PLATE RECOGNITION (ALPR) SYSTEM FOD: 09-04

advise SCC the request is for an ALPR alert on a vehicle_

In the case of a stolen vehicle alert, personnel may regard the vehicle as a known stolen vehicle, while awaiting a secondary confirmation. If the decision is made to initiate a "Code-9" due to an ALPR alert on a stolen vehicle, deputies shall advise SCC they are following a vehicle due to an ALPR stolen vehicle alert (Le. "142F1 is code 9 on 1 0-29V ALPR hit") prior to receiving a secondary confirmation by MDT/SCC.

Deputies shall adhere to the Department's pursuit policy as described in the Manual of " Policy and Procedures § 5-09/210.00. SCC shall immediately provide"secondary confirmation or advise the unit that the vehicle is not reported as stolen.

When Desk Personnel receive an alert from a fixed ALPR system, which is the result of an image taken from a fixed camera, they shall confirm the current status of the vehicle via their CAD terminal or via SCC. While waiting for confirmation, desk personnel will advise field patrol units of the ALPR alert, the location, the vehicle description, request aero bureau, and coordinate responding field units.

Any incident associated with the ALPR system shall be documented using a secondary ALPR statistical code. The statistical code shall go on the classification line of the Incident Report (SH-R-49) and in the MDT clearance. Additionally, any vehicle recovered using the ALPR system shall have "ALPR RECOVERY" written across the top of the CHP-180 and the secondary ALPR statistical clearance code will be entered into the MDT clearance log. ALPR statistical codes cannot be used for the issuance of an URN number, but shall be used as a secondary statistical i::Jearance code.

" "

Please ensure the following stat codes are used:

835 - ASAP - ALPR/MOBILE 836 - ASAP - ALPR/FIXED CAMERA

Examples:

Personnel making an arrest due to an ALPR alert shall enter "835" or "836" as a secondary statistical clearance code in their MDT Log Clearance and on the Classification line of the SH-R-49 report form.

Personnel recovering a stolen vehicle with no suspect in custody shall write "ALPR-CAR RECOVERY" on the top of the CHP-180 as well as use the stat "835" as a secondary MDT Log Clearance.

Plate scan information is retained for a period of two years and may be queried for use in law enforcement invesligatipns. Access to plate scan information is restricted to approved personnel with assigned passwords. Access 10 this data is for law

Originally Issued: 08-17-09 Revised:

Page 3 of 4

- 4887 -

AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE 'RECOGNITION (ALPR) SYSTEM FOD: 09-04

enforcement purposes only. Any other use of this data is strictly forbidden. Employees found using. this data for anything other than law enforcement purposes wiiI be subject to discipline under Manual of Policy and Procedures sections 3-07/210.00 Permissible Use and 3-07/220.00 Prohibitions.

Hot lists are comprised of user defined data that is manually input into the informational data file so that ALPR users will be alerted whenever a "vehicle of interest" is located. Current use of hot lists include AMB ER alerts and vehicles associated with 290 sex registrants. Hot lists can be loaded into a specific station area vehicle or to ALPR all vehicles countywide.

Hot lists can be input into the ALPR server informational data file only by ALPR . administrators. Unit commanders, or their designees, must approve hot list information that is intended for use solely in their area cars. With the exception of AMBER alert information entered by sec personnel, hot list information intended for Department­wide use must have the approval of the Director of the Law Enforcement Information Sharing Program. Mobile ALPR users can input individual license plates into their patrol vehicle's ALPR system for use during their shift, however, the information will be deleted from that mobile ALPR unit once the vehicle syncs with the ALPR server. An ALPR vehicle alert identified via hot list information does not automatically provide ALPR users with sufficient justification to pullover or detain vehicle occupants. Often times, these hotlists will identify a "vehicle of interest" which is not necessarily wanted for a crime (ex: sex registrants vehicle). Personnel must use discretion and in some cases have independent information justifying a traffic stop.

Questions regarding the use of ALPR equipment or accessing plate scan information may be directed to the Advanced Surveillance and Protection Unit at ASAP-Team@LASD.ORG or (562) 345-4476.

Questions regarding the content of this Field Operations Directive may be directed to Field Operations Support Services at FOSS@LASD.ORG or (323)526-5760.

Affected Directives/Publication

Manual of Policy and Procedures §5-09/21 0.00 Pursuits

Cites/References

http://www.pipstechnology.com/

DRB:WJM:TPA:CWR:NBT:WJM:JLS:EPF:ef

Originally Issued: 07-08-09 Revised: I ::ltp_~f Revision: Page40f 4

9 '1 (j

- 4888 -

- 4889 -

POLICY 0032: VEHICLES

ADDENDUM

AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION (ALPR)

Information:

The ALPR consists of fixed cameras mounted on the light bar of selected marked vehicles, a USB cable and Thumb Drive located inside the passenger compartment and a program icon located on the ALPR terminal screen.

The Thumb Drive takes seven to eight minutes to download new information into the system .. Absent emergency conditions, the operator will complete this task during vehicle inspection to reduce the down time at the station.

Polic;Y: .

Only authorized personnel trained in the use of the ALPR are to operate the system.

The mounted cameras are not adjustable; no attempt to move or reposition them is permitted. The Thumb Drive is assigned to each system; they are not to be transferred to another vehicle. The data downloaded on the Thumb Drive is for official use only and contains sensitive information. Downloading any other type of files or information into the Thum b Drive or ALPR system is prohibited.

Any hits received from the ALPR including stolen vehicles, delinquent citations, or wants must be confirmed through dispatch, before enforcement action is taken.

Procedure:

A. System Inspection and activation

1. Connect the Thumb Drive or to the designated computer and select (Run-Begin Shift) to update the NCJIS and NCIC information.

2. Inspect the mounted cameras, USB cable and Thumb Drive for damage.

3. Power up the system by logging on to the ALPR terminal and clicking the ALPR icon located on the touch screen.

4. Connect the Thumb Drive to the USB cable in the vehicle.

5. Log in and select (Begin-Shift), this will take seven to eight minutes.

* Note vehicles equipped for Auto upload / down load will not be using the Thumb Drive.

B. General Responsibllities, Use and Equipment Care

1. ALPR terminals are intended to be used in conjunction with voice radio communications and are not intended to replace voice radio communications.

2. Safe operation of the patrol car is paramount. During solo (one officer only) patrol, common sense and safe driving practices dictate that the officer will focus his/her attention on safe operation of the vehicle and view the ALPR terminal screen only when the vehicle is not in motion.

1

, !J(l _I. t .. '

- 4890 -

3. ALPR terminals shall be inspected by the user at the beginning of each tour of duty, while completing regular vehicle equipment checks. Any problems or damage shall be immediately documented and reported to a supervisor, who will forward the memo through

··the chain of command to the Administrative Services Bureau Commander. The vehicle operator at the start of the tour shall be held responsible for any damage to ALPR terminal that is not immediaiely reported to a supervisor.

3. Information displayed on the ALPR terminal screen is confidential and caution shall be taken to ensure that unauthorized personnel do not view it. .

4. ALPR terminals should be in the "VIDEO OFF" mode when a vehicle is temporarily vacant.

5. ALPR's shall be properly secured and protected from damage and theft (Terminals are not to be subjected to deliberate shaking, dropping, sliding, excessive heat (such as caused by being stored in vehicle trunks). LCD Screens and Touch pads shall be protected from sharp objects that might cause damage; use of a touch pad stylus is permitted.

6. ALPR's are to be properly kept clean and free from: adhesives, stickers, ink, stains,liquids, and debris (surface cleaning with a soft "water only" damp cloth - no cleaning solutions). Food and beverage items shall not be placed on top of Terminal lids or keyboards. Crumbs, dust and debris shall be blown from or dusted from keypads. Sticky keys shall be reported and repaired by the radio technician.

NCSO Issued ALPR terminals SHALL NOT:

1. be used by persons other than NCSO members. No member shall knowingly allow unauthorized access to Agency networks, systems or software. Passwords and access codes are to be protected from disclosure, distribution, or viewing by unauthorized persons.

2. be stored in personal vehicles (point to point transport is allowed).

3. be connected to any device which allows connection to the "Internet" without express written permission from the Area Commander.

4. be charged or powered by an AC or DC Power supply/source which is not provided or approved by the NCSO.

5. be installed with any software executable program (whether it is licensed, shareware, or freeware) without express written permission by the NCSO.

6. be installed with any executable "screensaver" that has not been approved through the NCSO.

7. contain a "desktop image" which depicts imagery deemed unofficial, or inappropriate for public view. Desktop images other than the default one, must have written approval from the NCSO.

8. have the systems configurations changed in any way.

9. have set passwords changed, bypassed, or used for access to system configurations of the system that are not normally meant for user access. No additional passwords may be created or encryption software installed which would prevent access or inspection to data files or systems within the ALPR system.

2

- 4891 -

10. have any ALPk system designated "audible alarm", or have "tone" settings disabled, muted, turned off or otherwise tampered with.

11. be internally mOdified, upgraded or tampered with (changes or removal of RAM; Hard Drives, CD ROM Drives, Chipsets, Modems, or any other similar components) without express written permission by the NCSO.

12. be externally modified or tampered with; consisting of modifications to hinges, latches, handles, lids, keypads and NCSO applied "Property Numbe!" decals and stickers (which are to remain attached to the ALPR system and readable).

13. use theALPR terminal to violate any security, privacy or confidentiality policies, or practices of the NCSO or laws of the state of Nevada. The duplication, use or storage of any software that violates copyright provisions, violates license agreements, or conflicts with existing network or application software is unauthorized.

14. be transferred or re-assigned to another member without said re-assignment being coordinated through the Administrative Services Bureau and the Area Commander.

C. ALPR returns

1. Hits generated by the ALPR including open warrants or stolen vehicles are not sent to the dispatcher. Officers should notify the dispatcher via their radio prior to taking any action.

2. Operators must confirm the plate by visually checking the actual plate against the captured image.

3. After confirming the plate and the status of a wanted return, the operator may take enforcement action.

4. After enforcement action is taken a disposition should be entered into the ALPR system closing the incident.

D. System shut down

1. Touch (End-Shift) which will download the captured information during the tour of duty into the Thumb Drive.

2. Log out of the system.

3. Verify the system is shut down before turning off the MDC.

4. Remove the Thumb Drive and down load the captured information into the designated computer I server.

* Note vehicles equipped for Auto upload I down load will not be using the Thumb Drive.

3

in?

- 4892 -

- 4893 -

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT MANUAL OF GENERAL ORDERS

General Order: 28.18 I Effective: 04/01/2009 I Nnmber of Pages: 2

PATROL DUTY: AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER (ALPR)

The Auton:iated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system will allow designated sworn members to photograph license plates and automatically compare them to an uploaded NCICNCIN "hot list" of stolen vehicles, license plates, and wanted persons specific to a particular vehicle in most weather conditions, regardless of vehicle speed. Many agencies have found the ALPR to be a highly effective system which can increase stolen vehicle and stolen license plate recoveries and help reduce the economic impact of automobile thefts. The following guidelines will apply when using the.ALPR.

A. Only trained members will use the ALPR system, When not in use, all ALPR equipment (except for the thuillb drive) may be left in the assigned vehicle. If the vehicle is to be left unattended, except at the District Stations, the cameras will be stored inside the locked passenger compartment to prevent vandalism or theft. Cables and leads may remain attached, provided the equipment is tnmed off.

B. NCIC/vCIN information will be loaded into the ALPR via a dedicated thumb drive by the operator prior to beginning operations. License plate broadcasts for

. stolen or suspect vehicles should be entered by the operator during a tour of duty.

C. A log will be maintained in each District Station armory to track ALPR vehicle and equipment use. The designated thumb drive shall be maintained in the station armory and signed out by the operator for each tour of duty.

D. ALPR operators will conduct all operations using vendor-applied software on the assigned vehicle's MDC. A dedicated laptop computer can be used to interface with the ALPR's central processing unit if an MDC is not available. All software and hardware used will the ALPR shall be approved by the MDC MIS Coordinator.

E. The ALPR operator shall complete a daily ALPR use sheet and forward it to the ALPR program manager. A copy of any recovered stolen vehicle or recovered stolen license plate incident report will be attached to the ALPR use sheet. In addition, the operator will download the license plate image and the NCICNCIN information associated with any stolen vehicle or stolen license plate photographed by the ALPR using the thumb drive. A paper copy of this information shall be retained for evidentiary purposes.

F. All files on the thumb drive, except the most recent NCICNCIN hot list, will be deleted by the operator at the end of each tour of duty.

- 4894 -

G, . In serious criminal investigations, where a general location for a suspect vehicle or a crime pattem has been identified, information captured by the ALPR may be retained for an extended period of time with approval by the on-duty supervisor.

H. ALPR operators may search past images to determine if a paTticular license plate was photographed. Tbis feature may be utilized at the request of members or other law enforcement officers for investigative pm:poses.

I. ALPR System Operations

1. When in operation, the ALPR photographs license plates without operator action, thus allowing the operator to perform routine patrol operations.

2. The operator receives an audible alert tone and a picture of the license plate if a license plate matches one that has been uploaded. The operator must verify that the "captured" license plate matches the wanted license plate. A hit confumation must be conducted through the Office of Public Safety Communications.

3. In the event an alert is received on an occupied vehicle that is confrrmed stolen, the member will stop the vehicle in accordance with General Order 35.04.

J. The Assistant Chief for Operations or designee will select an ALPR Program Manager for each District. The Program Manager will organize operation of the ALPR systems, to include:

1. Coordinate andlor conduct training and maintain a list of qualified ALPR operators.

2. Be notified in the event of equipment problems or malfunction and coordinate repatr

or replacement.

3. Compile a monthly report of ALPR operating hours, stolen vehicle and stolen plate

recoveries, and atTests made as a result of ALPR use.

4. Provide copies of the monthly reports to each respective District Commander for inclusion in the Monthly Inspection report.

- 4895 -

•

- 4896 -

~:qp~f{j)~ Directive 10AO

LICENSE PLATE READER PROGRAM

·10.40.01 10.40.02 10-40.03 10.40.04 10.40.05

CONTENTS

PURPOSE AND POLICY DEFINITIONS RESPONSIBILITIES DATA RETE:NTION LPR MAINTENANCE

110.40.01 : PURPOSE AND POLICY

The purpose of this directive is to establish guidelines for the use of the license plate readers and their technology. Unless otherwise noted in this directive, requirements and procedures for report completion remain unchanged.

It is the policy of this department to develop and provide the most effective, efficient and reliable technology for all members of the department. License Plate Readers will be used to increase efficiency in recovering stolen vehicles as well as enhancing the investigations of vehicle-related crime.

13.3.02 : Alarm (aka Hit) - A positive indication, by visual and/or aUdible signal, of a potential

match between data on the hot list and a license plate scanned by the LPR system. A hit is not conclusive confirmation that a license plate is wanted, and additional investigation is always warranted when a hit Is indicated.

I

I

- 4897 -

10.40, License Plate Reader Program 01-21-2010 Page 2

Download - The transfer of hot list data from VCIN or other data sources consisting of license plates and associated data. Data may be downloaded from folders and storage on the Alexandria Police fntranet based on an automated compilation of the hot list. This allows the files to be accessible by alilPR users regardless of direct aCcess to the VCIN database.

Hot List ~ A database populated with items of specific concern to the investigative .and/or enforcement interests of law enforcement in the City of Alexandria. This may include, but is not limited to, Terrorist Screening Center watch list, stolen/wanted vehicles and license plates, wanted and missing persons, cautions, and license plates associated with Amber Alerts or various watch lists provided for law enforcement purposes.

License Plate Recognition (lPR) system - Equipment consisting of a camera( s), computer, and computer software used to automatically recognize and interpret the ch!3racters on vehicle license plates. This data is then compared against a list of license plates bearing some significance to law enforcement.

LIPR Coordinator - Employee charged with administration, troubleshooting, training, repairing and coordinating all aspects of the lPR systems for the Police Department. The LPR Coordinator will maintain a list of trained operators.

LPR-Generated Data - All information, including location, date and time of a licenso plate encounter, the OCR interpolated data, and any LPR-generated digital photographic image(s) of the license plate and vehicle generated entirely through the use of and by the LPR equipment.

LPR Operator - A properly trained user of the LPR systems. The LPR coordinator will maintain a list of trained LPR operators.

110.40.03 RESPONSIBILITIES : " A. LPR Operators:

1. LPR operators shalf receive training prior to using the LPR system.

2 .. Employees shall exerCise safety when operating the lPR system. Use of device during the operation of a motor vehicle must comply with current state law. Employees will pay careful attention to driving and will not use the LPR system in any manner that would endanger or distract them, resulting in an accident.

3. It shall be the responsibility of each LPR operator to download the hot list and install it on the mobile computer prior to deployment of the LPR equipment. It shall also be the responsibility of the user to ensure the most recent hot Itst has been transferred to the LPR car system software.

a. Until other methods are developed, the hot list download will be completed by using removable media in accordance with procedures desigmlted by the LPR Coordinator.

I

- 4898 -

10.40, License Plate Reeder Program 01-21-2010 Page 3

4.· The LPR system works passively and will continue to read license plates and sound alarms eve'1 when other programs are being used on the computer. When using an LPR-equipped vehicle, the LPR operators should have the system in operation so as to maximize the opportunity to scan a vehicle on the hot list.

5. LPR operators will enter additional information entered into the LPR system as needed.

a. Broadcast and look out information received following the initial download should be manually entered immediately upon receipt by the LPR operator.

b. The reason for the entry shall be included in the "note" portion of the entry screen (I.e. stolen vehicle, missing person, abduction, Amber Alert, robbery suspect).

6. Upon completing a m<lnual entry the LPR operator should query the LPR data to determine if the license plate was scanned previously.

7. Upon receiving an alarm, the LPR operator will use the displayed information to determine the accuracy and nature of the alarm.

8. The LPR operator will visually verify that the subject tag and the actual read on the LPR screen are the same (i.e. correct letters, numbers, state and any other information that can be matched).

9. Once the user has confirmed that the alarm is valid, the LPR operator will take appropriate action based on the type of alarm.

a. If the alarm is for a stolen or felony vehicle: i. The operator will confirm the alert is still active by running the

information through NCICNCIN via MOB or through Communications. Receipt of a stolen or felon vehicle lPR alarm may be considered reasonable suspicion but is not sufficient probable cause to warrant an arrest without confirmation that the want for a vehicle or person is still open.

b. If the alarm is for another type of hit or ale rt, the LPR operator will read the description of the alarm and use the appropriate action or reporting method to handle the alarm.

10. The LPR operator will report usage of the LPR systems as required by the lPR Coordinator.

B. The LPR Cocm:linatow will:

1. Create all necessary forms and complete any administrative functions related to the LPR systems;

2. Maintain forms or electronic systems for tracking LPR usage;

3. Coordinate training, service, repair and replacement of the LPR systems and software;

- 4899 -

1 DAD, UCl:>nse Plate Reader Program 01-21-2010 Page 4

4. Maintain the current LPR software and apply updates as needed;

5. Install the LPR software on the computers that the LPR operators use; and

6. Ensure that a sufficient number of spare computers also have LPR software installed so that ifthe LPR operator's computer is out of service the a spare computer can be used.

C. Supenrisoll"S and Commanders:

1. Supervisors and commanders will monitor the use of LPR systems and ensure that they are being deployed regularly. Whenever possible, the lPR systems should be assigned to beats or assignments that maximize their ability to scan many license plates.

110.40.04 b e! ..

A. LPR equipment has the capability to store and/or cause to stofe LPR-generated data collected during the license plate detection and iden!ific<'ltion phase of use.

B. LPR-generated data may be stored on the mobile computer for up to 30 d<'lYs.

1. The department does not currently have infrastructure or storage for supporting LPR-generated data submissions from the LPR systems to a central repository.

2. Should the data infrastructure and storage be implemented in the future, LPR­generated data will be held in accordance with applicable guidelines.

LPR MAINTENANCE

A. The LPR operator should not modify the LPR equipment or software operating . system without direction from the LPR Coordinator.

B. Any time the LPR unit is disconnected or removed from the vehicle, it shall be placed in a protective storage case or the LPR's original packaging and secured to prevent damage.

C. LPR cameras must be removed from the vehicle prior to entering an automatic Car . waShing facility. If the vehicle is being hand-washed, the cameras may stay in place.

D. LPR camera lenses may be cleaned with glass cleaner or mild soap and water, and a soft, non-abrasive cloth.

E. Damage to LPR equipment shall be immediately reported to a supervisor. The supervisor shall document (and investigate, if necessary) the damage in accordance with established procedures. Damage will also be reported to the LPR Coordinator and any reports or documentation will be forwarded to the LPR Coordinator.

I

I

- 4900 -

10.40, License Plate Reader Program 01-21-2010 Page 5

F. The LPR Coordinator shall be notified of any LPR equipment needing maintenance or repair; The LPR Coordinator will ensure that all maintenance and repair of LPR

. equipment is completed·,

By Authority Of:

Earl LCook Chief of Police

1.1 "I

- 4901 -

St. louis Area lPR User Group Meeting

Agenda

April 15, 2010

1. NEW, Reformatted REJIS Wanted file

~ REJIS has set a new deadline of March 31st for providing the new hot list for alilPR agencies. It should be re~dy by the time ofthis meeting. Shane Placeway will demonstrate how to implement the new hotfile on the back-end server software (BOSS).

2. MULES(NCIC File

'" REJIS representatives will update the group as to the status of providing the M ULES!NCIC wanted file to LPR Agencies.

'" Each agency needs to submit a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) to the State prior to receiving the data from REJIS.

'" The idea is that the MUlES!NCIC will be integrated into the application we use to pull down the REJIS hotfile. It will probably be a separate file so that you can create separate formatters in the BOSS server to create your MULES hotfile.

3. BOSS Server Clustering

" In the beginning of March, Shane Placeway, with the help of REJIS and Matt Haug (Chest,erfield), successfully linked the Richmond Heights and Chesterfield BOSS servers. Both Chesterfield and Richmond Heights can search each other's plate reads. The searching is surprisingly faster than I had expected.

o We will discuss how to move forward with clustering the remaining lPR BOSS Servers. Of course, this would require that each agency agree to this. ,By the time ofthis meeting, I should have a draft of a MOU that each department will need to sign to document their acknowledgement ..

'" The REJIS Wide Area Network (WAN) Group will need to open up the firewalls in order to allow this connection. We will need to discuss how many hours this may take and how will it be billed.

4. No Front plate Legislation

'" As you may know, there is a push in Jefferson City to drop the front license plate requirement. This' effort is being spearheaded by Senator Matt Bartle, R-Lee's Summit. This change was added as an

'amendment to bill SB781, which "modifies various provisions relating to the regulation of motor vehicles." If this makes it through the Senate and House, the bill would become law, effective August 28, 2010. As of March 4th

, it has passed the first round in the Senate. The amendment is stated as follows:

o "Under this act, the state will only issue one license plate beginning August 28, 2010, unless the registered owner is eligible to receive a second plate. Some motorists will be able to obtain an optional 2nd plate upon the payment of $15 fee Motorists who currently receive two plates will be issued one plate and the plate shall be attached to the rear (instead of

- 4902 -

"front and rear) of the motor vehicle. Applicants who request 2 license plates shall attach the plates to the front and rear of the vehicle. Applicants for personalized and special license plates will be automatically be issued 2 license plates. The act also requires that no tab shall be issued for the optional license plate and no tab shall be required to be displayed on such plate (Section 301.130)(SA 6)."

" The URL to Senate bill SB781 is: http://www.senate.mo.gov/l0info/BTS Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BiIIID=3170477

5. Sharing LPR Data with non-LPR, REJIS agencies

" I will ask REJIS to give us an update as to where they stand on housing LPR plate scans so that other agencies may have access to it. It's possible that this could be integrated into LEWEB, but may need to wait until the server migration.

" REJIS will begin the testing of a BOSS server in their data center.

"6. Privacy Issues

NOTES:

" As lPR becomes more prevalent, issues regarding privacy may be asked of your department " How does your lPR Policy address the plate scan database? Retention periods? " In September 2009, the International Association of Chiefs of Police released a 93 page report

regarding lPR privacy isslles. (http://tinyurl.com/iacplpr) .. Sunshine Law / Freedom of Information Requests

- 4903 -

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI POLICE DEPARTMENT

PLANNING AND RESEARCH UNIT

ENTIRE PROJECT REPORT·

Project Number; 305

Title: License Plate readers

Desc. o{Project (primary): Research

Desc. of Project (Secondary):

Desc. ofP"oject (Other):

Initiated By Ol'ganlzation: PRD

Initiated By Last Name: Smith

Initiated By First Name:

fuitiated By Rank/Title:

fuitiated By Contact Info:

Matctiais Attached 0

Materia" Attached (Type ot):

Reference:

Rick

Captain

Section Assigned: Special Projects and Programs

Priority:

Date Received:

Supervisor T Date:

Supervisor T Date (Rev)

Submitted Date:

Normal

11125/2008

1/30/2009

1/1212009

Supervisor Last Name: Hicks

Supervisor First N rune: MiChael

Supervisor RrulklTitle: Sergeant

Project Status:

Date Hold:

Date Closed:

Tickle Flag 0

TicJdeDate

Closing Commander/Supervisor

Closed

7/7/2009

Reso;arch the cost of installation for auto!l1l1red license plate readers. Price per unit, different compailles, research use in Qther Cities (Cinciilllti), pros and cons.

- 4904 -

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI POLICE OEPARTMENT .

PLANNING AND RESEARCH UNIT

ENTIRE PROJECT REPORT

Project Number: 305

Project Activity Hi~tory

There are no Activity Entries [or this project

- 4905 -

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI POLICE DEPARTMENT

PLANNING AND RESEARCH UI,ur

ENTIRE PROJECT REPORT

Project Number: 305

Project Routing Hi!litory .

.There are no Routing Entries fpr this Pr,oject

'i f (: -L .1. i,)

- 4906 -

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURi POLICE DEPARTMENT

PLANNING AND RESEARCH UNIT

ENTIRE PROJECT REPORT

Project Number: 305

There are no T-Date Revision Entries for this Pr.oiegJ.

"I ." f"'l -i_.li·

- 4907 -

KANSAS CITY, MlSSOURI POLICE DEPARTMENT

PLANNING ANO RESEARCH UNIT

ENTIRE PROJECT REPORT

Project Number:. 305

Project X·Reference Histol'J!

There are no X-BelEntries [or this Project

- 4908 -

KANSAS CITY. MISSOURI POUCE DEPARTMENT

PLANNING AND ReSEARCH UNIT

ENTIRE PROJECT REPORT

Project Number: 305

PJrojed Assigl1lment History

Date Assigned To Assigned To Assigllllcd Last Name First Name

Assigned To Assign RrullifTitie Type Assignl1iilCilt Reason

121112008 Thompson William P.O. P

- 4909 -

Endorsement Automated License Plate Reader Officer William Thompson

Major Barton,

The project submitted by Officer Thompson states that several police departments are using Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology to locate stolen autos. From a cost benefit approach stolen autos are not aggressively prosecuted in counties that Kansas City encompasses. For the expense it would make sense that some kind of buy-in from the county prosecutors in prosecuting stolen auto offenses may increase the cost benefit of an~R. .

Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) has potential, however, from the information submitted by Officer Thompson it appears that the ALERT System really hampers the system. I agree with Sergeant Hicks an ALPR would be better suited with updated technology. The departmerit is moving in that direction with REJIS. I would recommend that this project be tabled until REJIS is implemented allowing for an ALPR to be used to it's potential without added man-hours being utilized to make the system work.

120

- 4910 -

Capt. Smith, 02/26/2009

Automated License Plate Recognition products enMnce the tools associated with the apprehension of wanted persons, homeland security, and investigations. Currently, ALPR products are cost prohibitive for installation in multiple mobile or fixed platforms. The total cost can be minimized by using specialized or strategiC deployment.· Some cities have deployed ALPR products in specialized units (Stolen Auto Units) and purchased one or only a few ALPR products rather than purchasing units to outfit all patrol cars.

The primary barrier to the Kansas City Missouri Police Department utilizing ALPR technology is the interface .with the ALERT system. The ALERT system cannot interface with the ALPR software in real time. ALERT cannot provide a constant stream of updated information to the ALPR system. This severely prohibits the ALPR and its use. The Lenexa Kansas, Police Department has a test ALPR system. They manually enter license plate data received from our ALERT system each day because the ALPR system will not interface with ALERT in real time. This defeats the purpose of a mobile license plate recognition platform.

I do not believe that the purchase of ALPR products is feasible at this time. Besides the high cost per unit, the ALPR software is not compatible with ALERT in real time. ALPR products may be feasible if the police department upgrades the ALERT system or implements a new criminal justice database system that can Interface with the ALPR software in real time.

On March 31,2009, the Lenexa Police Department is holding a demonstration of the ALPR product that they are testing. P.O. Thompson and I will be attending the demonstration as a follow to this project. . C;' _ J rPX /. /

CVJ' Wt'\D/'W!:; . Sgt. Michael Hicks ;OJ.)' Special Projects Section

- 4911 -

LENEXA POLICE DEPARTMENT

&

ELSAG NORTH AMEiuCA

2009 LICENSE PLATE READER PURCHASING PIfU',)GRAMI.~.

Possible Uses:

Pricing:

Identify chwolrnuc pawkilrn9 viola~ows, stolem vehicles, siolelrn plates,

felony warmlrnis, registered sex offeB1lders, parolees, c"llB1lceiled alrnd

wevoked driver"s licell1lses, g;;lII1Ig members, repo vehicles, plus

anythill1lg that can be cOIl1li1lected to a Incei1lse plate II1lU1mbeJr.

Al'IlIlotrl' ",(my" ROborts Weswrm: O,peratI'oos l'JIianager Office S4!1.5a:J.OOOO cell g49,an8li~ OustOftlet seNlce a~s.gMPHgOO

1 :) ') .~ ~'"' I,.,

- 4912 -

MEMORANDUM

March 2, 2009

TO: Sergeant Michael Hicks, Supervisor, Planning and Research Division

FROM: Officer William Thompson, Special Projects Section

SUBJECT: Automated License Plate Recognition

On November 25, 2008, I began researching Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology. This technology utilizes multiple infrared and color cameras mounted on a police vehicle or in a static platform. The camera captures an image of a license plate and converts the image into data. The ALPR software integrates with criminal justice database systems utilizing the converted image data for license plate queries. In 2008, the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Atlantic completed an assessment of ALPR products (Annex A). The assessment, funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, researched four companies that sell ALPR products. PIPS Technology ranked the highest in the assessment of ALPR equipment.

I contacted representatives at four ALPR companies: Gentec Incorporated, PIPS Technology, Coban Technologies Incorporated, and Plate Scan. I asked 16 specific questions regarding their products and documented each response (Annex B). One of. the many factors with this technology is cost. The ALPR products cost on average $20,000 per car, for a mobile system. Static systems range from $10,000 to $15,000, per lane of traffic. Another factor is warranty. All four ALPR companies researched only have a one-year parts and labor warranty. Three police departments that currently utilize an ALPR system (Annex C) responded to a survey I e-mailed to the International Association of Law Enforcement Planners. All three departments use PIPS Technology ALPR products to locate stolen autos and outstanding warrants.

The Kansas City Missouri Police Department currently uses Coban Technologies Incorporated products for the digital in-car video system. This company has ALPR products available that upgrades the current in-car digital video system. Utilizing the Coban products already installed in department police vehicles is possible, but additional cameras and software updates would be necessary. Additional hardware installation and software upgrades could cost up to $12,000.00 per car.

In 2007, the Planning and Research Division researched ALPR technology for the first time (Annex 0). The Kansas City Crime Commission agreed to fund the purchase of an ALPR product for the Kansas City Missouri Police Departments Gang Unit. During the research, the commission chose not to move forward with the purchase of an ALPR system; the project closed. Also is 2007, Sergeant Jay Pruetting of the Gang Unit attended a demonstration of the PIPS Technology ALPR system. He said that the system was not usable due to the ALPR software would not integrate in real time with ALERT.

1 .. ) '\ 3._ .:::: ':"'1

- 4913 -

I contacted Ms. Harriett Williams of the Computer Programming Section. She stated the ALERT system Gould provide the data to an ALPR system via a manually created file uploaded to the company's ALPR system at specified time intervals. ALERT cannot automatically update in real time an ALPR system. The license plate information would be manually entered which could take two and one half hours for each update. This severely restricts the usability of an ALPR system and defeats the goal of the system, which is locating stolen vehicles and outstanding warrants with captured license plate data in real time.

The Lenexa Police Department is currently testing an ALPR system from ESLAG North America. Officer Dave Willis of the Lenexa Police Department said the ALPR system would not connect with ALERT. The warrant information is manually entered into the ALPR system each day, which is time consuming. Officer Willis is working with Ms. Williams on a format that would not take as long. The Lenexa Police Department is planning a demonstration of the ALPR system in March for other law enforcement departments to attend.

This project is complete and submitted for your approval.

/0. 2;~~ L(ttZY

Officer William Thompson 4433 Special Projects Section

- 4914 -

TABLE OF ANNEXES

A. Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report (Oct. 2008) by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Atlantic

B. Company Survey'

C. City Survey

D. 2007 closed ALPR project

1 ,. .. ) r­~r:,.\)

- 4915 -

ANNEXA

Mobile license Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report (Oct. 2008) by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Atlantic

i C) .L ! ....

- 4916 -

SYSTEMASSESSMENT AND VALIDATION FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS (SAVER)

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report

October 2008

FEMA Prepared by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Atlantic

Distribution authorized to federal, state, local, an~ tribal government agencies only for administrative or operational use, October 2008. Other requests for this document shall be referred to lbe U.S. Deparhnent of Homeland SecurityIFederal Emergency

Management Agency, IMSI Division-E Street 3cd Floor, Attn: SAVER Program, 500 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20472.

- 4917 -

The Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment RepOlt was funded under Interagency Agreement No. 2003-TI(-R-040, from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Government.

Reference herein to any specific commercial products, processes, or services by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government.

The information and statements contained herein shall not be used for the purposes of advertising, nor to imply the endorsement or recommendation orthe United States Government.

With respect to documentation contained herein, ne~ther the United States Government nor any of its employees make any wananty, express or implied, including but not limited to the watTauties ofmerchalltability and fitness for a particular purpose. Further, neither the United States Government nor any of its employees assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatlls~ product or process disclosed; nor do they represent that its USe

would not infringe privately owned rights.

Distribution authorized to federal, state, local, and tribal government agencies only for administrative or operational use, October 2008. Other requests for this document shall be referred to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency, lMSI Division--E Street, Attn: SAVER Program, 500 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20472.

- 4918 -

Foreword

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) established the System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) Program to assist emergency responders making procurement decisions. The SAVER Program conducts objective operational tests 011

commercial equipment and systems and provides those results along with other relevant equipment information to the emergency response community in an operationally useful form. SAVER provides information on equipment that falls within the categories listed in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Authorized Equipment List (AEL). The SAVER Program mission includes: .

o Conducting impartial, practitioner-relevant, and operationally oriented assessments and validations of emergency responder equipment.

• Providing information that enables decision makers and responders to better select, procure, use, and maintain emergency responder equipment.

Information provided by the SAVER Program will be shared nationally with the responder community, providing a life-saving and cost-saving asset to FEMA, as well as to federal, state, and local responders.

The: SAVER Program is snpported by a network of Technical Agents who perfOlID assessment and validation activities. Further, SAVER focuses primarily on two main questions for the emergency responder community: "What equipment is available?" and "How does it perform?"

. As a SAVER Program Technical Agent, the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPA W ARSYSCEN), Atlmltic, has been tasked to provide expertise and analysis on key subj ect areas, including communications, sensors, security, weapon detection, and surveillance, among others. In SUppOlt of this tasking, SPA W ARSYSCEN Atlantic conducted a comparative assessment of mobile license plate recognition systems.

Visit the SAVER Program Web site at https:llsaver.fema.gov for more information on the SAVER Program or to view additional repOlts on mobile license plate recognition systems or other technologies.

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report

- 4919 -

Polnts of Contact

u.s. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency 1MSI Division-E Street 3rd Floor Attn: SAVER Program, Christopher Engstrom 500 C Street, SW W ashingt~n; DC 20472

Pete Nacci Christopher Engstrom

pete.nacci@fema.gov christopher.engstrom@fema.gov

Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Atlantic Advanced Law Enforcement Technology Branch P.O. Box 190022 NOlth Charleston, SC 29419-9022

Richard Balcer, Program Manager Eddie Broyles Joey Pomperada

eddie. broy les@navy.mil joey.pomperada@navy.mil

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report ii

- 4920 -

Table of Contents

Foreword ......................................................................................................................................... i

Points of Contact ........................................................................................................................... ii

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... v

1. Introduction .......................................................................................... : ................................... 6

1.1 Assessmeut Scope ........................................................................................................... 6

1.2 Evaluator Demographics ................................................................................................. 6

1.3 AssessmentProducts ....................................................................................................... 7

1.4 Authorized Equipment List. ............................................................................................ 7

2. Assessmeut Criteria ................................................................................................................. 8

3. Assessment MetllOdology ...................................................................................................... 10

3.1 System Configuration ................................................................................................... 10.

3.2 Assessment Execution .................................................................................................. 10

3.3 Data Collection Analysis .............................................................................................. 11

4. Assessment Results ................................................................................................................ 12

4.1 PAGIS by PIPS Technology ......................................................................................... 14

4.2 Mobile Plate Hunter 900 (MPH-900) by ELSAG North America ............................... 16

4.3 PlateScan by Civica Software ....................................................................................... 17

4.4 CarDetector by Vigilant Video ..................................................................................... 19

5. Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 21

Appendix A: Assessment Criteria Descriptions .................................................................... A-1

Appendix B: Score Calcnlation Methodology ....................................................................... B-1

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report iii

- 4921 -

Table 1-1 EvaluatorDemographics ............................................................................................... 6

Table 2-1 Assessment Criteria ....................................................................................................... 9

Table 4-1 Overall Assessment Score .......................... : ................................................................ 12

Table 4-2 Average Criteria Ratings ............................................................................................. 13

Table 4-3 Key Specifications of Assessed Systems .................................................................... 14

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report iv

- 4922 -

Executive Summary

Tasked by the System Assessment and VaHdation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) Program, the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPA W ARSYSCEN), Atlantic, conducted an assessment of currently available mobile license plate recognition (LPR) systems based on criteria established by a focus group of law enforcement officers. Mobile LPR systems are permanently or temporarily mounted to a vehicle and are comprised of a suite of components, including cameras, computer hardware, software, and databases. These components work together to: 1) capture an image of a license plate, 2) recognize the license plate characters by convelting the characters in the image into readable text, and 3) check the license plates against designated databases for identification. The results of this assessment are intended to help law enforcement agencies make infonued decisions when procuring mobile LPR systems".

Based on product selection criteria established by the focus gronp, four mobile LPR systems were assessed:

a CarDetector by Vigilant Video

o Mobile Plate Hunter 900 (MPH-900) by ELSAG NOlth America (formerly Remington ELSAG)

• PAGIS by PIPS Technology

• PlateS can by Civica Software

Law enforcement officers familial' Witll LPR technology evaluated each system using step-by-step procedures and simulated operational scenarios. The officers provided feedback and rated assessment criteria on a scale of 1 to 5, wiili 1 being least favorable and 5 being most favorable. Wiilioutendorsing any particular mobile LPR system, iliis document repotts the product's overall score, the average criteria ratings, and evaluator feedback for each product.

Ofthe assessed systems, the PAGIS system received the highest overall SCOl·e. Evaluator feedback highlighted the system's ability to capture most of the license plates encountered during the assessment scenarios. The evaluators also emphasized the PAGIS system's ability to accurately recognize target license plates during the assessment. Evaluators also commented that the system's user interface and configurable features would help them work more efficiently. The MPH-900 received ilie second highest overall score. Evaluators agreed the system would be useful to law enforcement due to its plate recognition accuracy, relative ease of use, and quick delivery of system alerts. PlateS can received the third highest overall score. Evaluators indicated that PlateS can' s simplistic graphics and logically organized user interface required minimal user interaction and enabled quick response to database matches, contributing to officer safety while driving. The evaluators also noted, however, that iliey would prefer the system to capture and accurately recognize license plates more frequently. CarDetector received ilie lowest overall score. The evaluators cOll'nuented that CarDetector's two-year warranty adds value to the system, and the compact equipment saves space in the trunk and facilitates covert operations. The evaluators agreed, however, iliat the CarDetector system was least likely to meet law enforcement needs due to its ineffective organization of graphics and user functions, an inability to configure system access by user, slow display of captures and alerts, and inadequate processing unit construction.

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment RepOlt v

-( , .l.

- 4923 -

10J Introduction

License plate recognition (LPR) systems automatically identify vehicles by the information on their license plates. Checking license plates without an LPR system requires the officer to read the plate, then radio or type license plate information into a system, one plate at a time, and wait for the system to return any results. This time-consuming and labor-intensive task slows an officer's ability to pursue the vehicle in qliestion if warranted by the results of the license plate check.

LPR systems use cameras, compnter hardware, and software to capture an image of a license . plate, recognize the license plate characters by converting the characters in the image into readable text, and then check the license plate against designated databases for identification. LPR systems can scan thousands of license plates during a patrol shift or targeted mission. Some examples oflaw enforcement applications for LPR systems include stolen vehicle recovery, wanted felon identification, and parking enforcement.

Tasked by the U.S. Department of Romeland Security (DRS) for the System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) Program, the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, (SPA W ARSYSCEN) Atlantic, conducted a comparative assessment of mobile LPR systems. During July 2008, four mobile LPR systems were assessed to provide information on the capabilities and limitations of these systems to emergency response agencies.

1:1 Assessment Scope

The assessment focused on mobile LPR systems for U.S. law enforcement applications. The assessment was structured according to criteria and operational scenarios identified by a focus group of law enforcement officers who use mobile LPR systems. For more information about the focus group, refer to the Mobile License Plate Recognition Focus Group Recommendations, which can be found on the SAVER Web site at https:llsaver.fema.gov.

Generally, there are two types ofLPR systems-fixed and mobile. Fixed systems are permanently mounted on stationmy structures, snch as poles or walls. In contrast, mobile systems are either permanently or temporarily monnted on a vehicle.

1.2 Evaluator Demographics

Four law enforcement officers, all experienced mobile LPR system users, served as the evaluators. Table 1-1 provides the evaluators' background information.

Table 1-1 Evaluator Demographics

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Introduction

1.3 Assessment Products

The nine mobile LPR systems described in the 'Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Market Survey Report were considered for this assessment. The products were compared as complete systems of cameras, software, processors, and displays in order to keep comparison between products consistent and relative. Although vendors offered data management server hardware and softwru:e for data mining, analysis, and investigations, it was not part of the image capture, processing, and matching process and therefore not assessed. The systems were scored and selected for the assessment according to how well each product met the focus group's

'product selection criteria described in the Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Focus Group Recommendations. Product information used for compm'ison with product selection criteria was obtained directly from vendor responses to a Federal Business Opportunity

, (FedBizOpps) Request For Infonnation (RFI).

The following mobile LPR systems were assessed based on product selection scoring:

" CarDetector by Vigilant Video

" Mobile Plate Hunter 900 (MPH-900) by ELSAG North America (fonnerly Remington ELSAG)

o PAGIS by PIPS Technology

" PlateScan by Civica Software

1.4 Authorized Equipment list

Local jurisdictions use the DHS Authorized Equipment List (AEL) guidelines to comply with federal grant requirements in their selection of equipment for procurement. DHS directs state and local responders to refer to specific program guideline$ for the Jist of authorized equipment eligible for purchase through that particular grant program. AEL reference number 14SW -01-SIDV, from the AEL dated January 17,2008, pertains to systems for vehicle identification.

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report 7

13~

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2., Assessment Criteria

The SAVER Program assesses products based on criteria in five established categories:

" Affordability - Criteria related to life cycle costs of a piece of equipment or system.

" Capability -·Criteria related to the power, capacity, or features available for a piece of equipment or system to perform one or more responder relevant tasks.

" Deployability - Criteria related to the movement, installation, Of implementation of a piece of equipment or system by responders at the site of its intended use.

o Maintainability - Criteria related to the maintenance and restoration of a piece of equipment or system to operational conditions by responders.

" Usability - Criteria related to the quality of the responders' experience with the operational employment of a piece of equipment or system. This includes the relative ease of use, efficiency, and overall satisfaction ofthe responders with the equipment or system.

The focus group identified, defined, and categorized 39 mobile LPR system assessment evaluation criteria within the five SAVER Program categories. The focus group then assigned a weight for each criterion's level of importance on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being somewhat important and 5 being of utmost importance. Once the criteria were weighted, the five SAVER Program categories were assigned a percentage value to represent each category's level of importance relative to the other categories.

Products were assessed according to 20 ofthe 39 assessment criteria within four SAVER Program categories. The remaining criteria, including all the criteria in the affordability

. category, were not assessed, as noted in Table 2-1, because they are agency-specific or information needed for the assessment was not available. Refer to Appendix A for the assessment criteria definitions provided by the focus group.

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Table 2-1 Assessment Criteria

IW·M~"a'~in~7~.~:g~a~~!~~nie~g c~~o;;s'·t"s =1 "->' ~';~::;;~:'-' ," ;;"'-;jv"""A""-,'e "r"t";rn"£ "o"r'm'~:" 't'~'''~'':··;·''1 '~:~~f.~~~~;:it

Cost of Required Software/Hardware

Not

Volume Discount

Weight: 5 Weight: 5 .,~ . .' ..... ", .. ~ ;w,·\··,,·-':·;;'·.:":'··"·'''' . ""'oJ .':, 'w ... , ... ;·: ... ~;, .... · ~·'.n,. :."! .. \.,:,; .• ,':

Plate Reading User Friendly Conditions Interface

Field of View Character Estimation

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report

Assessment Criteria

".,

Warranty

9

j ')" _.L"_...J i

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3", Assessment Methodolcgy .... -

Evaluators assessed one product per day. Before beginning the assessment eac~1 day, an overview of the system to be assessed and training were provided by the vendor. The assessment was conducted as follows:

~ Equipment/Feature Assessment: Before, during, and after the perfol1nance assessment, evaluators assessed products using criteria related to equipment practicality and user functions. -

• Performance Assessment: Evaluators assessed products in three operational scenarios using criteria related to performance effectiveness.

After completing the assessment activities for a product, evahiators rated the product according to the assessment criteria on a scale from 1 (least favorable) to 5 (most favorable), and provided written and verbal feedback.

3.1 System Configuration

Vendors were required to provide all system components installed on a Ford Crown Victoria or a vehicle with a similar profile for the assessment. Prior to the assessment, each participating vendor was provided with infOlmation to ensure their system was configured according to the assessment criteria and consistent with the other assessed systems. Specifically vendors were provided with:

• Target plate-mounting location on vehicle rear.

• Scenario fields of view and descriptions (See Section 3.2).

o Issuing state for the target plates (See Section 3.2).

• A mock license plate data file containing license plate records for the target vehicles and instructed to have the file loaded on the system upon arrival at the assessment site.

In addition, vendors were encouraged to equip their system with GPS tracking on a visual map, an optional capability for many systems.

3.2 Assessment Execution

To conduct the assessment, evaluators were provided with step-by-step procedures to ensure consideration was given to each assessment criterion. For the eqUipment/feature assessment, evaluators used the procedures to examine the system's equipment and navigate the user interface.

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Assessment Methodology

For the performance assessment, products were evaluated in the following three real-time scenarios, representing operational environments recommended by the focus group:

• Patrolling Parking Lot: Patrolling at a slow speed (5 to 10 miles per hour), the systems targeted vehicles parked at a 90 degree angle on the passenger side.

o Monitoring Heavy, High Speed Traffic: Parked on a highway shoulder, the systems targeted passing traffic (50 to 60 miles per hour) on the driver's side.

o Patrolling Two-Lane Highway: Patrolling at a moderate speed (45 to 55 miles per hour), the systems targeted oncoming traffic on the driver's side.

Each scenario was performed four times, giving each evaluator an opportunity to interact directly with the system. Four vehicles with the following plate types were staged as targets in each scenario:

Pennsylvania - reflective background, raised characters South Carolina- reflective background, rai.sed characters

South Carolina - reflective background, non-raised charaelers (i.e., a flat plate)

3.3 Data Collection Analysis

South Carolina -reflective background, raised characters, two characters paliially obscured with black tape

Using the evaluators' ratings, an overall product score was calculated for each product based on the assessment criteria and SAVER category weights established by the focus group. Refer to Appendix B for the methodology used to calculate the overall product scores. Evaluators' written and verbal feedback about each product was analyzed for pros, cons, and trends.

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report 11

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4", Assessment Results

Of the assessed systems, the PAGIS system received the highest overall score. Evaluator feedback highlighted 111e system's ability to capture most of the license plates encountered during the assessment. ·The evaluators also emphasized the PAGIS system's ability to accurately recognize target license plates during the assessment. Evalnators also commented that the system's user interface and confignrable features would help them work more efficiently.

The MPH-900 received 111e second highest overall score. Evaluators agreed the system would be useful to law enforcement due to its plate recogoition accuracy, relative ease of use, and quick delivery of system alerts.

PlateS can received the third highest overall score. Evaluators indicated that PlateS can' s simplistic graphics and logically organized user interface required minimal user interaction and enabled quick user response to database matches, contributing to officer safety while driving. The evaluators also noted, however, that they would prefer the system to capture and accurately recognize license plates more frequen11y, adding that they wonld forego the efficient user interface in lieu of improved recognition accuracy and a higher rate of plate captures.

CarDetector received the lowest overall score. The evaluators commented that CarDetector's two­year warranty adds value to the system, and the compact equipment saves space in the trunk and facilitates covert operations. The evaluators agreed, how~ver, that the CarDetector system was least likely to meet law enforcement needs due to its ineffective organization of graphics and user functions, an inability to configure system access by user, slow display of plate captures and alerts, and inadequate processing unit construction.

Throughout the assessment of all products, the weather conditions were mostly suuny. The evaluators agreed that none of the resulting glare and shadows encountered seemed to impact the capture and recognition performance of any of the products.

Table 4-1 displays the overall score for each assessed product from highest to lowest. Table 4-2 represents the average criteria ratings for each prodnct within each assessed SAVER categOlY. Specifications for the assessed equipment are listed in Table 4-3.

Table 4-1 Overall Assessment Score

MPH-900 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0

PlateSca" 3.5 3.0 3.9 3.8 3.8

CarDetector 3.1 3.2· 2.4 3.5 4.5

0.0 1.0 2.0 '.0 4.0 5.0

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Assessment Results

Table 4-2 Average Criteria Ratings

KEY

Most Favorable

Least ~ Favorable '-------v"

O(!J()~~

System Accuracy • () Aleli Time • () Plate Reading Conditions fjl () Ql!l Speed Differential ~ • ~ 0

& Multiple Database QuelY .g 8 Location Detection

• C3 ~ ~ () () () ()

Manual Database Entry e ~ • -. ~ System Security ., Qj (!) Statistiu RepOlting ~ (;) () ~ Configurable Images (!J () ~ ~ Visual Display ~ ~ ".' ~ ~ Aleli Information • " ~ () User Friendly Interface ~ ~ '" ~ C> Character Estimation ~ .. ~ ~ (!J

~ ~ ~ () Processing Unit Durability ~ ~ ~ .(!J Camera Durability !JV ttl ~ ~ ~..,.'

~:- ..

Camera Size ~ () () • Processing Unit Size ~ () ~ ~

Warranty

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Assessment Results

Table 4-3 Key Specifications of Assessed Systems

Specificat!,!11 , VAGIS MJ'II-9qO ])latcSean ' :;;';;:: C ;/,

eanDcfcctor ' " - ---~ - 1 1) I t~1 ,!~::~. ~., '~H'

Cost of Equipment and Software $20,250 $22,825 $21,995 $15,100

_las of Julv 2008)

Number of Cameras 3 3 4' 2 (Included in Cost)

On Ligbtbar

Camera Mounting Location and Size 8x7x4

On Light bar On Trunk: Inside Rear

On Rooftop (D X W X H, Inches) 4x4x4 8x4x4

Window 7x7x4

3x2x2

Processing Unit Size 9 X 16 x 5 8x8x3.Sb lOx 13x 3 6x4x2

(D x W x H, Inches) One Year for Parts~ One Year for Parts,

One Year for Warranty Coverage Labor, Repair, and Labor, Repair, and Parts, Labor,

Two Years for Parts) (Included in Cost) Physical Damage Physical Damage

and Repair Labor) and Repair

Diagnostics Diagnostics

Dashboard-DashboardRMounted Dashboard- N on~Mounted User Interface Computer Hardware

Mounted Touch-Touch-Screen Mounted

Laptop w/Touch-(Not Included in Cost) Screen Monitor

Monitor and Touch-Screen Screen Keyboard Monitor

• Includes three cameras for mountmg on a light bar and one camera for mountIng to the inside of the rear wmdow.

b TIle dimensions are for a junction box, which supplies power to the cameras and connectivity from the cameras to tbe user internce computer.

·4.1 PAGIS by PIPS Technology

The PAGIS system received the highest overall score, 4.4. Evaluators frequently commented on the PAGIS system's effective perfOlmance, efficient user interface, and durable equipment. Although the evaluators noted some concerns

regarding the large size of the processing unit, the system's performance outweighed these concerns. The system was installed on a Ford Crown Victoria and configured with a dashboard-mounted touch-screen monitor, a trUllk-mounted processing unit, and three light bar-mounted cameras.

The following sections, broken out by SAVER categories, present the evaluators' written and verbal feedback.

Capability

The majority of evaluator feedback regarding the P AGIS

t Pros

• Cons

o Accurate plate recognition

• High plate capture rate

• Flexible configuration options for databases, security, and alerts

o Logically organized, uncluttered user interface for minimal officer interaction

• Ruggedized processing unit

o Non~adj!lstable image resolution

Q Limited in~car reporting

0' Processing unit infringes on trunk space

system's capabilities was positive. The evaluators considered the system highly effective, missing lout of 48 possible target plate captures, while also capturing ahnost every non-target vehicle plate parked or driving in the areas where the scenarios were conducted. The evaluators also considered the system to be highly accurate, correctly recognizing 44 of the 47 captured target plates. Only the partially obscured plate was not captured or was incorrectly recognized, but the evaluators agreed the system recognized the obscured target plate better than they had expected. The evaluators also noted that the missed plate captures and incorrect recognition occurred when the system-equipped and/or the target vehicles were traveling at high speeds. The

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment RepOlt 14

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Assessment Results

evaluators felt that the combined time for plate capture, recognition, checking databases, and delivering alerts was fast, allowing officers to qnicldy validate an alert and, if necessary, pursue the vehicle in question.

The P AGIS system allowed users to manage multiple data files as individual databases, which the evaluators felt provided flexibility for managing unique data sets. More specifically, the evaluators found the ability to enable and disable all or some ofthe databases, as well as the ability to prioritize the databases for searches and alerts, to be useful. System administrators can track and restrict user access to the system and various features by establishing user names and ._ passwords, a process the evaluators found to be easy and useful.

The evaluators also found manually entering license plates to be easy, although one evaluator would have preferred fewer steps in the process. The P AGIS system does not allow users to adjust unage resolution or file size, but the evaluators indicated that adjustable image resolution would be useful. The PAGIS system tracks the latitude and longitude where evelY plate capture occurs; however, the evaluators indicated 10catiDn coordinates wDuld be most useful if displayed on a map. Mapping software that displays the cool:dinates on a map can be integrated with the PAGIS system, but was not installed with the assessed system. One evaluator favored the system's ability tD repDrt on a user-defmed text field, while others would have preferred in-car reporting to include a wider selection of statistics to choDse from than what was available.

Usability

The evaluators agreed the PAGIS system suited their usability needs. They felt that the interface provided features officers need tD determine alelt responses with minimal distraction from driving. Of palticular note was the ability to select the cDlor and data displayed for alerts based on record type. For example, a stolen vehicle alelt can be one color and a stolen plate alelt can be a different color. In addition, the evaluators found the system's user intelface to be uncluttered, well-organized, and easy to use. Some evalnators, however, felt fnnctions conld be completed with fewer steps .. All of the evaluators agreed that the PAGIS system started up and shut down quickly, and fDund the "hello" and "goodbye" audible indicatDrs helpful in confirming the completion of both actions.

DepJoyability

Overall, the evaluators felt that the PAGIS system met their deployability needs. Although the processing unit occupied too much space in the trunk, the evaluators agreed the unit was sufficiently sealed and mounted fDr protectiDn against extreme temperatures and jostling during high-speed driving. In addition, some evaluators noted that the Call1eras interfered slightly with the light bal'; however, they liked that the Cffilleras were small enDugh to be somewhat inconspicuous. The evaluators agreed that the cameras appeared to lle sufficiently durable tD withstand environmental cDnditions.

Maintainability

The PAGIS one-yeal' WalTanty was considered by the evaluators to be sufficient and consistent Witll industry standards.

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Assessment Results

4.2 Mobile Plate Hunter 900 (MPH-900) by ElSAG North America

The MPH-900 system received the second highest overall score, 4.0. On average, the evaluators agreed that the system's performance, features, and equipment made it a

useful law enforcement tooL The MPH-900 was installed on a Ford Crown Victoria and was configured with a dashboard­mounted touch-screen monitor with keyboard and three cameras mounted on the trunk. Each camera had an integrated processing unit.

t Pros

• Cons

I> Accurate plate recognition • Fast combined time for

capture, recognition, and aJelt

19 Low rate of plate captures eo Limited configuration

options for multiple databases

Ij) Large, conspicuous cameras

The following sections, broken out by SAVER categories, present the evaluators' written and verbal feedback.

Capability

Overall, evaluator feedback regarding the MPH-900's capabilities was favorable. Although the MPH-900 missed 16 out of 48 possible target plate captures, the evaluators noted that the system correctly recognized 31 of the 32 plates the system was able to capture. The ~valuators indicated they would prefer a higher rate of plate captures, but considering all the missed plates were atypical plate types (flat or with partially obscured characters), the evaluators felt the system performance was acceptable. The evaluators determined the combined time for plate capture, recognition, checking databases, and delivering alelis was fast enough for officers to pursue a vehicle in question, if necessary.

The evaluators felt the MPH-900 would be more useful ifusers could customize alerts and enable, disable, and prioritize mUltiple databases. Some evaluators felt the system's login and password setup offered sufficient administrative control, while others wanted a greater level of control for assigning and limiting user access. Finding the navigation to and fl:om the manual plate entry screen cumbersome, some evaluators suggested the task would be simpler if done in a pop-up window accessible while conducting other tasks, such as plate searches. Although the MPH-900 records latitude and longitude of vehicles when their plates are captured, the evaluators indicated that location coordinates are of little use to officers in the car unless displayed on a map. A feature for displaying coordinates on a map was not available at time of assessment. The evaluators indicated that the ability to generate repOlis from the mobile unit was sufficient, but they would have preferred a wider selection of statistics on which to repOli.

Usability

The evaluators generally agreed that the MPH-900 was suited for their usability needs. Evaluator comments regarding alerts were mixed. While evaluators fonnd the spoken alann type and the data presented with alClis to be useful, most indicated they would prefer more options for distinguishing alert types from one another. The evaluators indicated that the ability to adjust the brightness and contrast of the visual display was helpful. They added that the visual display would be more useful if views from multiple cameras could be displayed. In addition, evaluators would prefer the captured license plate image and corresponding system-read plate characters to be displayed more logically in relation to each other. The evaluators felt that the system's features were somewhat easy to use; however, they agreed that officers could work more

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report 16

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Assessment Results

efficiently if fewer steps were required to perform functions and the buttons were more logically organized on the screen. Although all the evaluators agreed that the MPH-900 started up and shut down quickly, one evaluator would have preferred the software to automatically start when the car is started, noting that the MPH-900 icon was difficult to locate on the dashboard mounted touch screen.

DeployabiJity

Overall, the evaluators felt that the MPH-900 met their deploy ability needs. Evaluator opinions varied widely regarding the camera-integrated processing units. Some of the evaluators favored not having to use trunk space to store the processing units, while others were concemed that the obtrusive camera size, due to the integration of a processing unit, would prohibit covert operations. Some evaluators also noted that the space savings in the trunk had little significance, because the MPH-900 requires a junction box to be mounted in the trunlc. The junction box supp lies power. to the cameras and connectivity from the cameras to the user interface computer. One evaluator cited concems that the processing units, although enclosed in the camera housings, might be more exposed to weather outside tlle trunk than they would if mounted inside the trunk. Although the evaluators perceived the cameras fastened to the vehicle's trunk to be highly durable, tlle evaluators noted that the cameras' magnetic monnting harnesses ati.d wires might be targets for vandals.

Maintainability I

The MPH-900 one-year warranty was considered by the evaluators to be sufficient and consistent with indu$try standards.

4.3 PlateS can by Civica Software o Efficient user interface The PlateScan system scored third overall, 3.5.

The evaluators frequently commented that PlateScan was easy to use; however, they felt the system did not capture or accurately

t minimizes driver distract jon

o Flexible alert configuration

recognize as many plates as they would have prefen·ed. The system was installed on a Ford Crown Victoria and was configured with a dashboard-mounted touch-screen monitor, a trunk-mounted processing unit, three light bar-mounted catlleras, and a.catllera inside the rear window. The light bat·­mounted catllera model the vendor provided for the assessment is being replaced with a different model for cutTent and future

Pros

• Cons

aud control

o Easy manual plate entry

o Inco-p,sistent ability to capture and accurately recognize plates

o No security settings to restrict user access

o Poor image quality

installations, which prompted tlle evaluators to express concern that evaluation of this system would be limited in relevance.

The following sections, broken out by SAVER categories, present the evaluators' written and verbal feedback.

Capability

Overall, the evaluators considered PlateScan's capabilities to be acceptabk. The PlateSCatl system missed 14 out of 48 possible target plate captures atld correctly recognized 27 out of the

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Assessment Results

34 plates that were captured. The evaluators noted that the system was inconsistent in its ability to capture and accurately recognize target plates .

. The PlateScan system functions with multiple databaSes. The evaluators found this capability to be advantageous for helping officers easily identifY a record type when the system generates an alert for a captured plate matching that record. Most of the evaluators, however, indicated they would prefer to have the additional capability to enable, disable, prioritize, and search individual databases. The evaluators found manually entering license plates to be easy. They found the PlateScan's lack of user setup options prohibitive for coutrolling user access. The evaluators felt that PlateScan delivered fuzzy vehicle overview and plate images and commented that it would be helpful ifthe system had features that allowed users to adjust image resolution. One evaluator noted fuzzy images made it difficult to identifY the plate's issuing state, which is critical to verifying system alerts. As with the other assessed systems, the evaluators found PlateS can' s ability to record latitude and longitude of each plate capture locaticin to be limited without a map display, which is not available for tIie user interface. The evaluators indicated that the system's reporting options were only marginally useful because the system does not track user statistics, and the user interface does not allow users to save repOlt results.

Usability

The evaluators generally agreed that the PlateS can system was suited for their usability needs. Evaluator comments about PlateScan's user-interface were very positive, highlighting its exceptional ease of use, simplistic and logically orgauized graphics (e.g., buttons for user functions), and flexible sound control for alerts. Specific to camera views, the evaluators found the ability to select the number of camera views displayed and the ability to select the viewing mode (Le., video, still, or infrared) for each camera view to be useful. Although the PlateScan system started up automatically when the computer was powered on, the evaluators agreed that stmtup was slower than they would prefer.

DeployabiJity

Overall, the evaluators felt that PlateScan met their deployability needs. Although the evaluators agreed that the processing unit was mounted securely enough to keep it restrained during high­speed travel and sharp turns, there was concern that the size of the processing unit occupied too much trunk space. Most of the evaluators perceived the cameras to be durable enough to withstand outdoor environmental conditions; however, the general consensus was that the cmneras intelfere with the light bar and are large enough to draw unwanted attention.

Maintainability

PlateScan's one-year warranty was considered by the evaluators to be sufficient and consistent with industry standards.

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4.4 CarDetector by Vigilant Video

The CarDetector scored fourth overall, 3.1. Although the CarDetector was considered to have good reporting capabilities and compact equipment, the evaluators indicated this product had poor picture quality and was

cumbersome to operate. The system was installed on a Cadillac DTS and was configured with two roof-mounted cameras, a trunk-mounted processing unit for the cameras, and a free­standing touch-screen laptop computer, which also served as 111e processing unit for the database and user interface software.

The following sections, br,oken out by SAVER categories, present the evaluators' written and verbal feedback.

Capability

t Pros

" COIlS

Assessment Results

o Relevant in-car reports o Low-profile camera design Q Equipment uses minimal

trunk space o Above-standard warranty

duration

o No security settings to restrict user access

Q Poor image quality

{,1 Cumbersome.operation ~ Non-ruggedized processing

unit

Overall, the evaluators considered 111e CarDetector system's capabilities to be acceptable. The system missed 9 out of 48 possible target plate captures, all of which were the partially obscured plate. The system correc11y recognized 35 ofthe 39 target plates that were captured. Although most of the evaluators felt the system's recognition accuracy and ability to capture plates was acceptable, they found the combined time for plate capture, recognition, and alert to be too slow. For every captured plate, CarDetector attempted recognition mnltiple times and displayed data and images from each attempt on the user interface screen. The evaluators noted that the activity was distracting. '

The evaluators felt the CarDetector would be more useful if users could customize alerts and enable, disable, and prioritize multiple databases. The CarDetectQr systeni can establish user identification by badge number for repOlting purposes, but not for limiting user access. The evaluators prefened to be able to customize user access to certain features ofilie system. The evaluators reported that manual database entry was easy to use} but ilie on-screen keyboard was too small for fast input. The evaluators indicated that 111e 4nage\qualjty ofthe displayed plate captures was fuzzy. Evaluators would have preferred that fhe C 'ID~ector have image adjustment features to improve readability of the captured plate's.', As with the oilier assessed systems, the evaluators found CmDetector's ability to recor~:.fa\itWleand longitude of each plate capture location to be only somewhat useful without a map (1i<rl which is not available for the user interface. The evaluators agreed iliat 111e CarDetector if "eature was highly useful, palticularly 111e available statistics and the plate and vehicle p, embedded in reports.

Usability

The evaluators generally found ilie CarDetector system was not well suited for ilieir usability needs, emphasizing slow system staltup, distracting visual display, poor image quality, and cumbersome operational tasks. In pmticular, the evaluators repOlted iliat the maitl screen was cluttered with graphics, features, mld data, which 111ey found distracting and unnecessary for critical tasks, such as monitoring the captures and responding to alerts for recognized plates. The evaluators found that accomplishing common tasks, such as configuring alerts, required too much navigation a!1d took more time than they found desirable. In addition, the evaluators found

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Assessment Results

alelt delivelY to be slow and the order of images, data; and sound delivered with alelts to be confusing.

DepJoyability

The evaluators agreed that the CarDetector system was adequate for their deployability needs. They commented favorably on the low profile shape of the cameras since they did not interfere with the light bar and were somewhat inconspicuous. The evaluators also liked the compact size of the trunk-mounted processing unit for preserving trunk space. The durability of the processing unit was considered by the evaluators to be insufficient because it did not have a protective covering. The evaluators felt that the exposed wires and other vital parts of the unit could be easily damaged by extreme temperatures or by other equipment commonly stored io the trunk. The durability of the cameras was considered by the evaluators to be sufficient, but they felt measures should be taken to protect cameras fro111 theft or detaching from the vehicle at high speeds.

Maintainability

The CarDetector's two-year warranty was considered by the evaluators to be well above iodustry standards.

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report 20

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5.. Conclusion

Representatives from the law enforcement community evaluated four mobile LPR systems. The PAGIS system by PIPS Technology scored the highest, followed by MPH-900 by ELSAG North America, and PlateScan by Civica Software. CarDetector by Vigilant Video received the lowest score.

Throughout the assessment, evaluators stated that, most importantly, a mobile LPR system should accurately recognize license plates and have a user interface with clear images and intuitive, quick access to aleli verification features. They also felt that a mobile LPR system should have effective organization of graphics and user features, ability to configure user access rights, fast captures and alerts, and durable hardware.

Evaluator feedback highlighted the following recommendations for law enforcement agencies procuring mobile LPR systems:

G Compare various systems on the market.

o Visit law enforcement agencies cUlTently using LPR systems to draw on their experiences with the system and with the vendor.

G Determine the vendor's ability and intention to suppOli purchased systems.

Emergency responder agencies considering adding mobile LPR systems to their current set of resources should carefully consider each product's overall capabilities and limitations when considering the unique needs of their jurisdiction.

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Appendix A~ Assessment Criteria Descriptions

Costs

Equipment

Volmne Discount

<:;apability '" .'.

System Accuracy

AleltTime

System

The base system purchase price, including all vendor-provided and services necessary for the system to be fully operational. The initial system cost must include complete and successful system implementation.

The cost of maintaining the system after the installation or after the warranty period has ended. These costs include technical support, training, cleaning and replacing parts, and system upgrades.

The cost of equipment for enhancing the base system's performance, 110t included in the base system purchase price. Examples of optional equipment, typically the vendor's proprietary products, include additional cameras, mounts for alternative camera mounting, and database management software.

The cost software or hardware meet an LPR system's operational requirements, not included in the base system purchase price. Examples include a server to support database management software, database software such as SQL to support the system's database, or equipment to support connectivity between a: server and system-equipped vehicles.

with the units.

,'.: ':.:: ,'.' .

codes captured by the cameras and provide accurate database matches. If a system returns inaccurate information, a plate could be missed or the wrong vehicle could be pursued.

The time a system takes to capture a plate, perfonn the process, check records for matching plates, and display a match. A system must process captured plates and alert users to database matches quickly enough to apprehend the target vehicle.

an onboard mobile computer's existing operating system (e.g., Windows operating system).

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems 'Assessment Report A-I

- 4940 -

Multiple Database Query

Location Detection

System

Software

Images

Database Hit

Power

Alert Information

Appendix A: Definition of Assessment Criteria

The combined speed of an equipped vehicle and a target vehicle. A system should have the ability to effectively capture and recognize plates when either the equipped or the target vehicle is traveling at high speeds or when both of them are traveling at high speeds.

A system's matches. Multiple local, regionai, and national agency databases license plate and crime infonnation, and many agencies create their own targeted databases, such as those containing information about sexual predators or stolen vehicle hot lists.

system's of every captured license plate. This fealnre tracks the travel patil of wanted vehicles. Location coordinates are more useful when they are displayed graphically.

ability to to a system'S processing unit should be capable of connecting to a network via multiple methods (e.g., USB drives, wireless broadband, and cellular) to send and receive database infonnation. The flexibility to work with multiple connectivity options allows an agency to implement more effective network connectivity as budget constraints allow.

to type system to for vehicles on-the-fly (e.g., AMBER Alerts and apprehending persons fleeing crime scenes). Manual plate entry is also used for entering correct plate information when users discove~ a captur<:fd plate has been misread.

can set actions. Examples include features that can be set to require user logon and password and that can be configured to limit user privileges to certain system functions.

user's reports system should give users the ability to select data on which to report. Reporta such as user shift activity, user actions taken on alerts, and activity per license plate are useful.

proprietruy management that agencies can use to manage (e,g" merge, prioritize, quelY, and report on) database files. The group agreed that, depending on an agency's size, budget, and number of vehicles with installed systems, database management software could be used to enhance operations, demonstrating'a significant return on investment.

Reducing image .size could alleviate issues with database servers, as well as database storage issues,

data to ruld from

A system's to support sending text, e-mail, phone notifications about certain captured data to remote recipients (e.g., working with outside agencies to perfOlTIl a pruticulru' investigation).

The amount of power required to operate a system's cameras and processing unit.

The and afe by the are organized and and an ability to configure the

An agency's ability to configure how alerta appear and sound, how they are categorized, and how the associated information is displayed.

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report A-2

- 4941 -

Character Estimation

Ease of Startup and

DepJoyabiliry

Integration with Existing Car Systems

Camera Mounting

Integration with In-Car Cameras

Cnmpatibility

Appendix A: Definition of Assessment Criteria

A system's user interface that enables users to respo.nd quickly to database matches by requiring minimal clicks and intuitive access to user actions.

A system's some obscured characters and display the possible license plate codes, clearly noting that they have been estimated. This criterion is sometimes refelTed to as fuzzy logic.

A systetn's or no user intervention.

A system's car computer systems onboard mobile computer) and associated electrical system This criterion refers to core computer system integration and is different from integration with in-car cameras, which"would be used to capture additional plates.

extreme weather located in the vehicle trunk

A camera's potential to interfere with other equipment, such as a light bar, to the camera size. For cavett operations, camera size may also be a consideration.

system ease a permanently mounted system's ability to be removed from an old cal' without degradation and be preserved for installation on a new car.

vehicle and do ensures cameras are

interfere with existing equipment.

A processing unit's potential to interfere with other equipment in the vehicle where available space is limited.

occupy areas

A system's to capture an set of plate with an in~car camera can be advantageous; however, an in-car camera's limited ability to provide high quality images necessary for recognition and the reduced recognition speed that may result from analyzing all additional set of linages is a potential disadvantage.

commitment to provide support to an agency system implementation and throughout the duration of the agency's ownership of the system.

wananty parts, and any

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report A-3

- 4942 -

Appendix B: Score Calculation Methodology

Using the evaluators' ratings, the overall score for each product was calculated based on the assessment criteria and SAVER category values established by the focus group. The process for determining overall product scores began with calculating an average rating for each criterion by smnming the ratings provided by each of the evaluators and dividing it by the nmnber of responses. A weighted SAVER category score for each product was also calculated by multiplying lhe average criteria rating by the assigned weight. The sum ofthe weighted average scores in a category was divided by the sum ofthe maximum product scores in the category to arrive at the category score, as seen in the formula below. The percentage result was then normalized to represent the category score on a 1 to 5 scale. -

Category Score

2:<Average Criteria Rating x Weight for Each Criteria) I(Max Product Rating x Weight for Each Criteria)

= Category Score

Using the PIPS Technology PAGIS system as an example, the following fOl-mula demonstrates how the deployability category score was calculated.

(4.75 x 5)+(4.25 x 5)+(4.25 x 3)+(3.75 x 2) (5 x 5)+(5 x 5)+(5 x 3)+(5 x 2)

= 87% or 4.4 (on 1 to 5 scale)

To determine the overall score for each product, each category score was multiplied by the category percentage value. The results for each category were summed to arrive at the overall product score as seen in the formula below. Percentage values originally assigned to the five SAVER categories by the focus group were normalized to total 100% because the affordability categOly was excluded from this assessment.

Overall Product Score

I(Category Score x CategOlY Percentage) = Total Product Score

Using the PIPS Technology PAGIS system as an example, the following formula demonstrates how the overall ass~ssment score for the product was calculated.

Capability Usability

(4.5 x 42%) + (4.6 x 29%) +

Deploya bility

(4.4 x 19%) +

Main min. bility

(3.5 x 10%)

This process was repeated for each of the remaining products.

Mobile License Plate Recognition Systems Assessment Report .

Total Product Score

4.4

B-1

- 4943 -

ANNEXB

Company Survey

- 4944 -

ChartA'

:";;:~:;~-i.\i~t~:~~~~~~:·~·j~~7::~::~~~~~/·;· ;.;:~~/r~:"ii:~~:~~}j~k?$~?~~fif·;jJ{; t~.::~i.~~ft~\\f!~:h:~~;r~~~~!¢:.~:JVlRA.Nll;:s,~1;:;~~{: ':{5jH,~-:~;~~-;)~, ~;f,!!;:~['~>;: .,~~". ;.: 5 ; ;_}" .. r- .' :,::r~~{)~:.. : :~:.':~> ~ '~ .. :: .~~;~. ".~" :. '.:', ." ."" 'Y~:~1~~f,f.{~{;f~~f1.{{g~;~:~i~Q~~~.~~~:fr~ ~- ;}~~~: .. _ '.'~' :···:);:;·iY·~·~:;:.~(~>"' . .'::' '. . .:- , -, ;' .. ",:<-:.':) .. ; .... '. : ... :' .::.-~ ~ ~.;! ;:;:.,":" .. ". . _., . . ... " . Coban"' Q;1J;e.5'10leNS"~~O;;:,:"" :Gentec4nc:: ":PIPS 'Technology, , . " '.' .' .' .':. ' .. ' . ·1 Plate Scan iSS.(;;~{jj".:'i,t;i:,:t*~f;; .. ".:>.<'.}... ... •. "c.;:; ...... ' ....... : ';:.. . TephnolClgiesJnc.

What applications do you have for the LPR Technology?

What camera technology does your company use?

How does your product intergrate with current MOe's or does it need a separte computer.

Does your platform have data mining? If so what data is captured and how can it be retrieved

fixed, mobile and back ,PIPS Technology has systems in place in a variety of office reporting/data applications including public safety, surveillance (covert

Both-In car & backend Iwe do both license plate recognition storage & and back office data management.

mining and overt), access control, commercial vehicle enforcement and weigh station applications, open road tolling, travel time measurement, parking enforcement, and a number of others.

management software,

Infared color camera Iinfared color camera Front facing IRC Iwe can read license plate through camera for lane scan & both IR and color cameras, This side-facing for parking lot scan

dramtically expands our ability to read pl .. tes that might be missed by the use of IR alone.

our application runs in PIPS Technology's data transfer protocol is standard Coban ALPR software IWe integrate with existing MOCs. the background on the TCPIIP and generally integrates with most MOC runs on Coban mdc. environments. VPN software could block port traffic from TopCam-li & VMOT-II

LPR computers to MOC computers. Usually VPN systems as well as software providers can provide rules to allow for this to certain laptop happen. computers.

yes. LPR overview The PIPS vehicle record consists of a color image of the Yes, our backened (license plate), color vehicle, infrared image of the license plate, interpreted application stores overview, license plate read, date and time stamp, GPS coordinates scanned plates & GPS time/date/location (gps and/or location identification, a unique transaction coordinates of each and mapping required) identifier, and more. The data may be retrieved by plate.

querying via PAGIS (in vehicle GUI) or BOSS (Back Office Software Server). Our Boss software is unique in that it allows for easy data sharing among neighboring agencies that use the PI PS system (currently or in the future), PIPS Boss software also integrates data from our fixed and mobile LPR systems.

Yes. The data captured includes pictures of the plate and the vehicle, the time, date and GPS locations as well as any dtat that can be gathered from other sources, such as Records management systems, etc.

Does your platform !yes also take pictures of

Yes, color overview images. Yes Yes.

the vehicle when it scans it?

,:.... ... ,;,. en (,r1

- 4945 -

~~~~~;I~~?J;~~t'\~i~~~~',ri~Y ., ';':'gpj.~~;-T.~~.6:~~i?:~Y" Tec~ri~fe;i~~:~'nc. Does the platform match car color and partial license plates for hits?

no, but there is a color I PIPS appllcatiof)s can query based on partial license Car color is not used overview picture plate information. Car colors are not recorded as there for searches. Partial

Can provide a What databases does I Software Data Kit your product work (SDK), if needed. with?

Does your platform worl( with IMS hierarchy databases?

What applications are used for the fixed LPR software?

/--" C.J1 ,.."., \.J!' ~

No

same as the mobile

are ineffeciencies with this analytic. The color overview if plate search is provided so that the user may visually verify color, make supported. and model of the vehicle of interest

Microsoft SQL Access database for car. Microsoft SQL Server is used in the backend for capacity &

I performance. PIPS Technology prefers not to work with IMS databases.INo IMS is not an off the shelf product and therefore would require resources and development

PIPS Technologies fixed ALPR devices feed back to the BOSS server and allow for data mining and retrieval just as mobile systems.

Does not offer fixed LPR solution directly, however, our ALPR technology provider, CilySync, is a leading UK-based fixed-LPR technology provider.

ChartA

P.late Scan

Yes on partials and no on color from the camera. If you have regisiration information, such as from DMV, we can include that in our back office system. (Any system that tells you it can determine car color from their cameras is not telling the truth.) The primary system is MS-SQL, however, we can interface with othe.

Our own solution "PlateScan backOffice" uses standard ODBC / TSQL (Mircosoft SQL) for its primary data storage methods. However, we do export a generic/standard XML file that would allow the data to be easily integrated with an IMS hierarchy model. Each individual "read" of a license platelTag would be a single record and would easily confirm to standard single teble format

Works the same as mobile.

- 4946 -

makes your I platform beUer than

LPR platforms?

I digital video by turnin~ on video camera

How will Itroubleshooting and updates be handled?

is the largest Innlic:e department

r-"-0"1 ~..:E

camera, no need cpu in the trunk

and integrates with Omnicast.

our In~rtn;;rs if not sold

Chicago PD or Los Angeles PD

ChartA

.,,~o.P~i1"~' .. I . T~chriO.IQgies inc, ... . Plate Scan

accurate LPR system on Cost-effective & market, in addition to read accuracy, usability, data affordable, Easy to

Istructure and durability. We were recently evaluated by install, easy to use, DHS SAVER Program. Report is available through a intemrate w/Coban

iwebsite. We have also included the California Highway Patrol's PIPS test results for your review. These are 2 of

independent test results where PIPS accuracy has been validated over 90%. No other LPR vendor has been able to achieve this benchmark.

Not sure of level of integration you are discussing with Coban. We have internal settings that can operate or

Itrigger many different devices provided we are given access to them. We do have technical contacts with

repair/replace warranty and maintenance programs.

Los Angeles Sheriffs Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Department, Cincinnati Police Department, Chicago Police Department, California Highway Patrol

alilarae deplovments (or verY soon to

I extended warranty covers tech support,

hardware '&

New Pilot I accoUliis in Houston.

accuracy rates, ease of use, powerful back office

our system has been tested to with Coban's.

can be . Hardware issues will either

by RMA or on-site.

PD. And Los

- 4947 -

Does your product know the differenc.e between states?

What is the cost for a mobile system for a vehicle

What is the cost for a fixed system

1--' ()1 :"',r',

ChartA

no, but version 4.4 will PIPS Technology will perform state recognition using the Yes, users can In a limited area, yes, Again, any . include this ability. lR plate image and resulting read through the use of optimized the system system that clams to be able to

$15,000 with installation!training

same as the mobile

regional syntax and font rules. This regional approach for local plates. determine the state of every plate is will include the border country, the state i~ which the not telling the truth. system is located, and all adjacent states (each region will be defined in conjunction with the agency based on their understanding of typical vehicle populations expected at the various locations). For example, a site in Texas would use a regional state recognition engine to include the U.S. states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana; and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas. The regional OCR approach will maximize the accuracy of both the OCR read performance and the state recQgnition. Costs range from $14-27k with a one time purchase of the Boss software.

Fixed systems vary depending on application, location, # of lanes (cameras) integration and involvement. We would need to have an understanding of what the project entailed to provide a cost. Typically this requires a site survey of each location, a meeting with your I. T. department to discuss data requirements, data flow, current infrastructure, etc. We can provide law enforcement references for you to speak with regarding the internal and external issues they faced when deploying our system.

$12,400 for each in-carlRanges from $5,000 to $23,000, system (2 cameras, depending on the array of cameras frame grabber, Ethernet hub) does include installation, training, & server side installation! configuration.

Too many factors, can .pass info to CitySync for details.

This is our current video !!Y§tem.

.1

Generally about $1 0,000 per lane, o. average

- 4948 -

ANNEXC

City Survey

p::;q .. \. V L'

- 4949 -

,')~;8t'~~,~W:~nt.:~'( jf:tl~~&~ ,';r;,:/,·'>'/'~;cl~'·· .• ":"····;.,"'" View hundreds of more

Scottsdale, AZ PIPS plates per hour.

'.

Helpful in mapping out locations where the plate has been recorded so

Cincinnati, OH PIPS officers know a concentrated area to look if vehicle is ever involved in a crime. Identify any stolen vehicle,

Tucson, AZ PIPS plate or warrant associated to the plate if entered in the system.

1:::;,\,,' ."" .', '" . "., ;., .,,/,. '., ·i":" .. ' C,::;, ::>i~} .. '7 .. . . ;,;r.; . ;.,;i'\,,:,:,,::.,,·~n~:;;,>. '.';;; :; ..... Amount of infrastructure & technology setup that was needed to make it an effective

Iproduct. None

Will not read plates that do not contain enough reflective material to be recongiied by the system.

Chart B

I'.\'':~y:~~~i;(~~~:":,, Routine patrol & dedicated Auto Theft Unit

Warrant service & identifying stolen vehicles,

Warrant service & identifying stolen vehicles,

.. ' "0 10 }

- 4950 -

Annex 0

Closed 2007 ALPR project

- 4951 -

MEMORANDUM

October 4, 2007

TO: Sergeant Karen True, Supervisor, Polices and Procedures Section

FROM: Officer Joshua Clevenger, Project Officer, Policies and Procedures Section

SUBJECT: Project #123, Automated license plate reader technology

. This project officer was assigned the project of researching the automated license plate reading technology. .

During the process, I found four major manufactures of the technology and developed a questionnaire to better understand the product and compare it to the other manufactures. During my research process, I was contacted by Sergeant Jay Pruetting of the Gang Unit and he wanted me to attend a demonstration from Pips Technology. It was determined at that time that funds could be allocated to the Gang Unit through the Kansas City Crime Commission from the Federal Prosecutors Office. I later contacted Barry Mayer, Kansas City Crime Commission and he stated that they did not move forward with this technology. I am placing the questionnaire and information that I received from the vendors and department members for later reference.

I am submitting this project for your review and approval.

Officer Joshua Clevenger Policies and Procedures Section

- 495

2 -

1 r (Questions 2.007 Autovu Civica Intex Pips Tech

w I at applications do you have for the LPR Te~hnology? Mobile Fixed, Portable, Mobile Fixed,Portable, Mobile Mobile, Fixed, Portable

,I at camera technology does your company ~? 1 infrared, 1 color use both infrared and color IR Pulse, only 1 camera Infred,color,OCR

H I does your product intergrate with current needs separate computer Mrc·S or does it need a separte computer. but can integrate Separate processor in trunk Yes Yes and separate processor in trunk

I .

Does your platform have data mining? If so what ·datk Is captured and how can it be retrteved yes and GPS, mapmatchlng yes and the data is web based Yes Yes, wireless

,I Does your platfonn also take pictures of the Ve~jcle when it scans it? yes yes Yes Yes

DoL the platform match ear color and partial licerse plates for hits? no no Yes/somewhat no

Jt databases does your product work with? NCIC NCIC SqV Mules, NCIC

1 .

Does your platfonn work with IMS hierarchy da~baSeS? unknown unknown unkknown It can

w~ )lieatlons are used for the fixed LPR acess control, data mining In regard to monitoring BOSS product would alert SOfo/rCl_>:!? Airports streets communications center.

I assemble own cameras, Wh~t makes your platform better than other develops own software, read 4 cameras at a time, read universal, the unit is transportable, and reads all LPF1 platforms? does two lanes of trafflc on from Infred and color, license plates Manuafacuter all parts of the software

I .

Does any of your products Intergrate wHh the Coban digital Video by turning on video camera aut~matically.? Yes Yes Yes no, but workable

HJ wm troubleshooting and updates be updates in disk or Lan, have a tech hari~led? over wireless networl<e over wireless network Over wireless networkltelephone network support

C'Y'" CO ,-" ,

- 495

3 -

-'-

LAPD,San Diego, wrat is the largest police department account? Sacramento, Chicago

Odes your product know the difference between st,)tes? no

I iWrat is the cost for a mobile system $18,500 and $2000 install

I~at is the cost for a fixed system not at this time

,

'.

LAPD, Los Angeles Sherril, Houston PD, Sacramento PD and Border Patrol, Reno PD FBI

no Yes

4 camera system $23,000

$8000 for 4 lanes

Callomia HP, have 40 units and 5-6 fixed sites.

$15,000 3 camera system, $25,000

$20,000 $10,000 a lane

., CD ,-,

- 4954 -

for law Enfon:ement AutoVu Mobile is a proven mobile License Plate Reading (lPR) system that has been designed to automatically and accurately read the license plates of both moving and parked vehicles - ei­ther while driving, or when parked at the side of a roadway. AutoVu Mobile provides a unique and efficient means to automate the detection of wanted vehicles and to gather intelligence data.

AutoVu Mobile Description.

AUTOVU

AutoVu Mobile is the lafe·st patent protected' technology breakthrough solution from AutoVu Technologies Inc.Th·e system enables law enforcement officers to auto­matically read license plate;; from both moving and parked vehicles and match each plate to an on-board datqbase of wanted vehicles~ .

TheAutoVu Mobile system is outfitted with f~ur cameras enabljng simultaneous reild­ing of license plates on both sides of the vehicle in addition to providing color over-view images of each vehicle scanned.· .

AutoVu Mobile i·sthe onlyi:nobile LPR system configured with proprietary real time positioning technology thafprovic;!es accurate ioeation infbfl'n~tion in ca~es where traditional GPS VVilifail- suc(i as denseljrban settings. Combining LPR with accurate. positioning is critical f~r effective data-mining applic~tions.

A co~prehensiv.e back~el)d management reporting system is provided.

AutoVu Mobile AppliCations o Wanted Vehicle Identification and Interdiction

• Data Mining and Intelligence Gathering

• Geo-fencing

1 United States Patent RE38,~26

- 4955 -

• AUTOVU

System Features • Daytime and nighttime operation

• Font-independent reading at rates up to 60 frames per second per camera

• Reliable scanning of parallel-parked vehicles in typical urban settings even when vehicle spacing is limited. Also reads vehicles parked at 4S and 90 degrees

• Reading at differential speeds of up to 140 MPH

• Small image capture units including cameras and illumi­nators designed for permanent installation or magnetic mounting

• Color overview imaging cameras

• Rugged high performance 1.8 GHz Pentium-M processor based processing system designed for vehicular use

• Integration with existing Mobile Data Computer (MDC); alternately, a robust touch-screen interface is available

Product Options All.ito'\flll Mobile Licellse Plate Reader I Datil! MiniD1lIJ SolUJItiml

• This system combines AutoVu's proven accurate LPR with our proprietary high-precision positioning technology .

• Moving map display indicates the vehicle's current position

• Startup / shutdown integrated with vehicle's ignition

'., • Wireless data transfer capability for updating wanted vehicle lists and offloading records for data mining

• Complete back end data mining and management reporting system: • Plate search by time window, geographic window, or both

• Sequential vehicle tracking - to follow the movements of a wanted vehicle

• Management reports provide system usage and performance data (license plate scans, number of wanted vehicles found, playback of vehide patrol route . etc.) .

• One-year repair and return warranty, limited telephone support with remote ac­cess for enhanced product support

AUJlto'\flUl MobHle Pl1J)rtiillble lkemse Plat!! Readew

• This system combines an LPR processor, two magnetic mount high performance image-capture systems, and a touch screen or MDC integration

• One-year repair and return warranty, limited telephone support

• Product options: • Enhanced GPS based location technology

• Wireless data transfer capability for updating wanted vehicle lists and offload­ing records. (Also enables remote access for enhanced product support)

168

- 4956 -

INFO RA1ATION EXTRACTION INEX Technologies INFORli,fA TION EXTRACTION INEX Technologies

RAPID RESPONSE Plate Reader

INEX Technologies provides ALPR (Automatic License· Plate Reader) sys­terns for a wide variety of applications. And becanse INEX systems can operate without an external trigger device, it is ideal for a variety of police and

. enforcement applications. One very important feature is the ability to quickly (under 200 ms.) capture and read a license plate number and compare it to a list of vehicles of interest

The RAPID RESPONSE system pro­vided by INEX uses infrared illumin­ators invisible to the human eye making it ideal for covert operations. It can also be configured to operate from a 12v pOWelrS(.ur(;e for vehicle installation.

INEX Technologies 10870 Murdock Drive Knoxville, Tennessee USA www.inextek.com 8656711400 865671 1416 fax

"1909' ; ••••• j

8~CJ(

07/001004

of several available User Interface screens

A typical portable system designed to read the license plates of passing vehicles can be used from a stationary position or mounted on a vehicle.

The camera/illuminator is simply aimed toward the license plate of a target vehicle and the captured image is sent via a cable to. a laptop for processing. The laptop is where the processing software resides and where a BOLO list can be kept A wireless link can be used to interrogate a list kept elsewhere.

The entire system consists of a camera with built-in infrared illuminator plus power supply, and a laptop computer to host the software for finding the license plate in each image and. perform the OCR process. For more information please email us at: inforalinextek.com or visit our website: w-ww.inextek. com.

INEX Technologies LLC 10870 Murdock Drive Knoxville, 1N 37932 w-ww.inextek.com

'1 C~ r .1..U

- 4957 -

---~ ------

INFORtdA170N EXTRACTION INEX TecImologies IN[,()RMA170N EXTRACTION INEX TecImologies

InSignia MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

INEX offers software interfaces to compliment all the hardware solutions we offer. The primary interface to the Insignia 4 product line is the Operffftoll' Console, which runs on Windows 2000/XP and provides a simple and convenient access to all the Insignia 4 units connected in a networked environment.

The Operator Console allows the user to view:

@ Vehlc1eEvents • Velric1e Database • Lane Status @ Reports • Multiple images (vehicle, driver, license plate, etc.)

Each user logged into the system will have the privileges allowed by the system administrator whether to configure the system database, add nsers and set their privileges, add/modifY vehicles and their access rights, define user rolls and their associated privileges, and more. INEX provides custom versions of the Operator Console as may be required to meet all customer requirements.

", .' ..

,; .'

.. : .. ~ .~

.. 1MtIR ~ ...

.. "0""

INEX TecImologies LLC 10870 Murdock Drive Knoxville, TN 37932 www.inextek.com

- 495

8 -

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+ ~~~

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Automatic License Plate Recognition

the silent partner

ENFORCEMENT SOLUTIONS

I, r

. .

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0',

J ;',

....

- 495

9 -

,I :i ,

AL~RTE(HNOLOGYfor LAW ENFORCEMENT .. r"'l'~ ~~J:?~ ~p

L .

Autollate~ License Plate Recognition (ALPR) from PIPS Technology is rapidly growing as an effectr/Je tool to combat criminal activity,

. enhan'ce productivity and improve officer safety. " I! !

Local; ~tate and federal agencies worldwide have adopted ALPR systems to improve the efficiency and effectiyenes5 of their enforcement efforts.

ALPR ~Drk~ day or night, and in adverse weather conditions, by using an infrared Camera to captur~ images of plates. Using Optical Character Recognition, the plate image is then translated into text which can be used for. datablJlse matching purposes .

. [ ~

I ,

APIPU(AT~ONS

Stolen Vehicle Recovery

Identification of Felons orWanted Individuals

Monitoring School and Playground Perimeters for Sexual Predators

Amber Alerts

Identification of Delinquent Cit2tions for Revenue Enforcement

BOLO Suspects

Crime Scene Intelligence and Surveillance

Monitoring of Gang Activity and Locations

Using PIPS Technology as your source for ALPR will put you in good company, Agencies across the nation and around the world have adopted PIPS Technology as the standard for ALPR technology solutions.

With offices and support personnel in two US locations and one in Europe, PIPS Technology is always there to proVide its customers with the support they expect and deserve.

c: r-­'l"--{

- 496

0 -

VIi ~

REVENUE GENERATION !lnp1rove collection of unpaid citations and taxes by utilizing the system to identify vehicles with outstanding traffic and. parking violations. When used for revenue generation, many agencies wi![ achieve ROJ in 90 days or less!

""""" ~ ENHANCED EVIDENCE and DOCUMENTATION W Z w

The: system captures and stores a permanent record of everything it sees. The data is encrypted, automaticaHy disr:tissing any ciaims of evidence tampering.

ELIMINATION of DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS

~ Be-~~use the system sees and reads every plate - notjustthose of suspicious looking vehicles or persons, dis,crimination claims may be laid to re-st.

"

,I "

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INCREAS~ PRpOUGIVITY •. ~ \

Each PIPS Technology ALPR system acts as a force multiplier. .. an aggressive officer could enter in a few hundl'ed plates per day while the system is capable of logging thousands.

With remarkable capture and read rates, everT at vehide speeds over 130 miles per hour, the system can check 3000 to 4000 plates per shift, freeing up the officer for other duties.

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IMPROVE OFFICER SAFETY

The system provides historical data associated with a license plate.

By making officers aware of their surroundings and alerting them to potentially dangerous situations'before they happen" ,ALPR can help to avoid conflicts and save lives.

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BOOST IDENTIFICATiON SPEED and ACCURACY

With PIPS Technology ALPR solutions, integration and .accessing up-to-the-minute data is fast and seamless.

Databases can be easily maintained and new informatiory can be quickly uploaded across all deployed units for improved enforcement with a PIPS Technology back orTIce system

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FOR MORE INFORMATION Please.cal! one of our offices or visit us online for details on PIPS Technology ALPR solutions for law enforcement and our complete line of automatic license plate recognition technology. if ~ips ~c1mology ... the most advanced li/cense plate recognition systems in the world

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Worldwide/USA Headquarters

PIPS Technology Inc. 10511 Hardin Valley Road Building C I(noxville, TN 37932-1565 USA Tel . +1 B65 6934432 Fax +1 B65 693 4B96 Email info@pipstechnology.com

~uropean Union Headquarters

PIPS Technology Ltd Yorl< House School Lane (;handlers Ford Eastleigh Hampshire 5053 4DG United Kingdom Tel +44 (0) 2380 240 250 Fax: +44 (0) 2380 240 251 Email info@pipstechnology.co,uk

West Coast Office (USA)

PIPS Technology Inc. Trillium Towers Center 6320 Canoga Avenue,Ste 1500 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 USA Tel +18186152018

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- 4962 -

Mobile Licerfl!iE'! Plate Re(ognitiol11 System

Following an extensive evaluation process,Long Beach Police

Department acquired four (4) PIPS' mobile automated license

plate recognition (ALPR) systems in December 2005. Despite

other crime rates decreasing in Long Beach, auto theft rates have

been on the rise for the past three years. The ALPR systems were

acquired primarily to combat this trend.

The first six months have produced amazing results.

1.4 million plates read

929 lost or'stolen plates identified

275 vehicle recoveries-

50 arrests

"The ALPR system does not discriminate," states Sergeant Chris

Morgan. "It almost eliminates any problems with profiling. The

camera doesn't distinguish the color of a driver's skin orthe

condition of the car."

lBPD Sergeant Chris Morgan

PIPS Technology Inc. World Headquarters

Case Study lOllg Beach Police Department

L0l19 !lead., Califot'llia

Stolen Vehicles An LBPD officer received a stolen vehicle alert from the ALPR

system. The Night Auto Theft Detail set up surveillance on

the stolen vehicle until the suspects arriVed. An arrest was

made and five high value cars were recovered.

Drug and Identity Theft A stolen vehicle alert notified an LBPD officer that the

suspect traveling in the vehicle should be considered armed

and dangerous. Surveillance was established on the vehicle,

the suspect was followed to an apartment where an arrest

was made. Large amounts of methamphetamine, marijuana,

and identity theft profiles were recovered.

Carjacking An off-duty officer was the victim of a carjacking with limited

information on suspects. After the ALPR system identified

another stolen vehicle, surveillance led the LBPD Career

Criminal Apprehension Team to identify the suspect as the

perpetrator of the carjacking. An arrest was made. t. ------------------------------------

For additional information aboutthrs and our complete range of ALPR products and traffic tech.nology solutfons, call or visit us on-line.

I ,0511 Hardin Valley Road,Bullding C

Knoxville TN 37932-1565 USA

PIPS Technology Inc. West Coast Office (USA)

Trillium Towers Center 6320 Canoga Avenue,Ste 1500 WOD91and HiI!s CA 91367 USA Te! +18186152018

PIPS Technology Ltd. EUl'Opean Union Office (UK)

York House School Lane Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh

Hampshire 5053 4DG UK

Tef +44 (0) 2380240250 Fax: +44 {OJ 2330 240 251 info@pipstechnology,co.uk

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I PIPS Technology .

the most advanced license plate r

Tel + 1 865 693 4432

Fax + 1 865 693 4896

info@pipstechnology.com

ailian systems in the world