Posted on 05/26/2009 8:40:58 AM PDT by BGHater
A national network of cameras and computers automatically logging car number plates will be in place within months, the BBC has learned.
Thousands of Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras are already operating on Britain's roads.
Police forces across England, Wales and Scotland will soon be able to share the information on one central computer.
Officers say it is a useful tool in fighting crime, but critics say the network is secretive and unregulated.
Kent's Chief Constable, Michael Fuller, commented: "We've seen an increase of some 40% of arrests since we've been using this technology.
"I'm very confident that we're using it properly and responsibly, and that innocent people have nothing to fear from the way we use it."
A number of local councils are signing up their Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) systems to the ANPR network. As long as the cameras are technically good enough, they can be adapted to take the software.
In towns such as Bradford, Portsmouth and Luton that means greater coverage for the police and more journeys captured and recorded.
John Dean, who is co-ordinating the ANPR network for the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "It's the finest intelligence-led policing tool we've got.
"It covers so many different areas from crime reduction, crime detection to road safety and everything in between."
Marked car
But not everyone thinks it is such a good thing.
John Catt found himself on the wrong side of the ANPR system. He regularly attends anti-war demonstrations outside a factory in Brighton, his home town.
It was at one of these protests that Sussex police put a "marker" on his car. That meant he was added to a "hotlist".
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Oceania is at war with Eastasia. Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia....
That's certainly the measure of success.
I have experience with ANPR. We used this data to convict a murderer.
But - of course - will it always be used for such laudable means?
No! Oceania is at war with Eurasia. Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia . . .
(At least that’s what they tell us in Airstrip One.)
OOOOOOPPPPPSSSS! Now how can get my post to go down the memory hole?
The next step will be a speeding ticket if you arrive at the next camera too soon.
They are opening up a new market for a device to obscure license plates, just enough so the camera can’t read them. I remember a smoke colored license plate cover. I don’t know if it worked, but something will work, and some enterprising fellow will produce it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.