VACAVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALPR PROGRAM AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE

VACAVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALPR PROGRAM

AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION • Definition – Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) are devices which optically read license plate character information. These devices have the capability to capture an image of the license plate which was read, acquire the GPS location of where the plate was read, and near instantly crossexamine the read license plate against several law enforcement databases. This information is then uploaded to a database which can be queried at a later time.

AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION • Background – Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) Technology has been in existence since the 1970’s – Large law enforcement agencies in the U. S. have been using ALPR devices since the early 2000’s – ALPR devices are being used by all other Solano County law enforcement agencies – Vacaville PD currently has four marked patrol vehicles which are equipped with ALPR devices. These devices were acquired in December 2018 as part of a grant which was awarded to Solano County

AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION - Each ALPR patrol vehicle is equipped with 3 cameras capable of monitoring traffic in adjacent driver’s side lanes (1), traffic in adjacent passenger side lanes (2), and vehicles parked perpendicular to the passenger side (3) 1 2 3

AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION - Officers operating ALPR equipped vehicles are able to monitor captured license plate information in real time - License plate data is compared in real time to various law enforcement databases (DOJ / Missing Persons / NCIC / SVS). Information from these databases is already available to officers during manual license plate entry on patrol vehicle MDT’s

AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION - - ALPR equipped patrol cars will immediately alert officers to vehicles of significant importance. These can include: - Stolen vehicles - Vehicles bearing stolen license plates - Vehicles associated with felony crimes - Vehicles associated with missing persons This is the most common day to day use of ALPR

AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION • ALPR as an Investigative Tool – In addition to the ALPR collection equipment, Vacaville PD received software which allows for the quick and specific search of collected ALPR data (location / time frame / partial plate characters / etc. ) – Searching collected ALPR image and GPS data can assist law enforcement with: • Locating where and when a suspect vehicle was captured by an ALPR device (placing suspect vehicles at the scene or in the vicinity of a crime) • Assist with witness canvassing at major crime scenes • Provide at least a partial photographic image of a suspect vehicle. This image may contain unique vehicle identifiers (unique paint color, bumper stickers, etc. ) normally not revealed through registration inquiries

AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION • Storage and Use of ALPR Data – All ALPR data will be used for official law enforcement purposes only and in accordance with existing law and current department policy – Vacaville PD does not maintain storage of captured ALPR data. All ALPR data collected by Vacaville PD ALPR devices is uploaded to a third party database. Information contained in this database is already accessible by members of Vacaville PD and other law enforcement agencies

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