07 August 2020
Police forces rely on Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) to help in criminal investigations and traffic enforcement. The technology is used for time-critical issues including detection and disruption of criminality, security, as well as quick and resilient connection and so is paramount to relay information about the location of vehicles of interest back to the police force.
While fixed line infrastructure is usually the default method of connectivity for ANPR, more and more police forces are beginning to turn to cellular connectivity, either to replace a fixed line or as a back-up. Cost, network flexibility and security all come together to create a more suitable solution for tracking vehicles of interest.
Cellular connectivity does make usage more expensive, but the infrastructure and maintenance cost can be significantly more expensive with fixed lines and over a long term period, the total cost of ownership can be notably higher.
Fixed line infrastructure is also logistically difficult to deliver. Because of the locations of some ANPR cameras, fixed line connectivity is not always easily available, and many forces operate deployable ANPR for short term periods, such as events. In instances such as these, where ANPR needs to be deployed quickly and removed a short while later, a fixed line simply wouldn’t make sense.
However, even when it is accessible, initial deployment can be very time consuming - sometimes taking weeks or even months to dig up roads in order to lay cables. Further to this, any repairs that may be needed further along the line might also require more digging into roads in order to fix any problems.
Cellular connectivity, on the other hand, can be deployed in a matter of days for a fraction of the cost. Any extra devices, repairs or hardware updates require no new cabling. It also gives police forces the ability to use mobile ANPR - in-vehicle - which would otherwise be unavailable with a fixed line connection.
Where Highways England ensures that motorway networks are fibre connected by default, A-roads and anything smaller have no fixed line access. Cellular connectivity has seamless installation and configuration.
The flexibility offered by cellular connectivity is another big advantage when it comes to ANPR systems, and access to fast and reliable data transfer on a rapid deployment basis is paramount for police forces, who need to be operating at maximum operational efficiency wherever possible.
ANPR cameras allow police officers to track crimes - has a crime taken place in a specific area? Has the camera picked up vehicles associated with known criminals? Or has it simply caught a suspect vehicle moving away from the scene? The speed of data transmission needs to be immediate and reliable at all times. As such, the networks on which they operate need to offer that speed and reliability.
Through cellular connectivity, that platform is in place. Cameras can be set up with primary and backup networks, to fill in any gaps in signal strength or coverage, all of which can be managed through a single platform.
Furthermore, where fixed lines present a single point of failure, a cellular connection can allow devices access to multiple networks, so different locations can utilise different networks, and can operate through whichever offers the best signal strength. Typically, these cameras use 4G due to bandwidth requirements of the application. However, despite the use of different networks and varying bandwidth needs, everything can be managed simply, without complications, through one platform. This flexibility gives ANPR systems and police force ANPR managers the best opportunity to operate at maximum efficiency, reliably remaining in action ready to be called upon. All networks also can be managed through a single interface, keeping things simple to manage at all times.
Security is another critical factor for ANPR technology. Any IoT application needs security measures in place to protect against any unauthorised access. With ANPR, each camera records and transmits data about every vehicle that passes it, including those vehicles that are not known to be of interest at the time. This, along with the high level of responsibility that police forces have when it comes to handling public data, means that the secure transmission of data is a top priority for ANPR.
Cellular IoT devices - in this instance, ANPR - are able to leverage private network technology, such as certified VPNs and direct physical interconnects in data centres, to help layer security for devices, networks and all data encompassed within. With security being of absolute importance, finding the right partners and solutions is critical. Using providers that follow the guidance issued by the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) is always best practice, but typically, partnering with an organisation that holds an ISO27001 certification will go a long way to ensuring the security of an ANPR system.
We’ve started to see more police forces transition towards cellular connectivity in order to lower costs, improve connectivity and keep data secure. Within public sector agendas, security, cost management and resilience are all top priorities. Through cellular connectivity, authorities can easily implement fit-for-purpose camera connectivity solutions, all deployed across a single, safe, cost-effective platform, and it should certainly at least be a consideration for police forces looking to improve their ANPR systems.
By Justin Godfrey-Cass, transport solutions business development manager, Wireless Logic