ANPR

[AlanHo]

I am the neighbourhood watch coordinator for our road and have regular contact with the local police who are trying hard to improve their public image. As part of a campaign to increase awareness of how the police are tackling crime, I and other neighbourhood watch coordinators were invited to witness an Automatic Number Plate Recognition exercise. The general conception when people see a group of police spending time nicking car drivers is that they should find more important things to do. I was guilty of subscribing to that argument – but not any more.

For those who are not fully aware of how the system works – I will describe it.

An unmarked car is placed at a strategic location which is equipped with a video camera and special computer. The computer data base is updated that morning with the latest information from the DVLA, Insurance Companies and the Police National Data Base which includes information on 30 million vehicles in the UK. The camera reads the number plates of vehicles as they pass by and the computer instantly checks to see whether the car is taxed, insured, has an MOT or is of interest for other reasons. Perhaps recorded as stolen, seen near the scene of a crime or whatever. The policeman sitting in the car to monitor the computer, will radio to his colleagues the details of any vehicle deserving of investigation.

Further down the road are placed marked police vehicles – cars and motor cycles whose job is to direct cars flagged as suspicious into a suitable parking area where there are a number of police waiting to interview the driver and check the vehicle. This group sometimes includes armed response officers and police dogs, staff from DVLA , Customs and Excise, Immigration, etc.

Whilst catching people without vehicle road tax is of course one of the intentions – the main benefit is that a high proportion of drivers without tax are also guilty of other offences and many criminals are caught in this net.

We were in attendance for only just over an hour – during which time about 20 vehicles were stopped for various reasons.

One person was caught without insurance and had his car seized. The walk home to Wales was bad enough but he will lose his car which will be crushed. I was surprised because I was not aware of a recent change in the law which allows police to seize an uninsured vehicle – one I heartily agree with.

Another guy had no tax but things escalated when the police checked and searched his vehicle. He had darkened front side windows which were well outside the legal limits, his cherished number plates were illegal, he had a couple of bald tyres, his windscreen wiper blades were damaged and the police found something in the car that should not have been there. He looked a very unhappy chappie and was still there when we left.

An untaxed van was brought in also suspected with having no insurance – but the driver was insured – his insurers had not recorded the policy on the national computer so it was not his mistake. However, two colleagues were found in the back of the van sitting amongst some loose heavy machinery and they did not have seat belts. The driver was nicked and his colleagues were not allowed to continue their journey in the van. (I suspect that they would pick them up again a mile down the road)

A number of vehicles lacked road tax and/or MOT’s and one was an insurance write off that had not been re-registered – it didn’t look too safe actually.

In the brief time we stayed at the location it was obvious that it is a very useful and effective way of detecting crime. We didn’t see them stop anyone with arms or stolen goods in the car, neither did we see anyone either drunk or under the influence of drugs - but we are told that it is a fairly regular occurrence. We were there in late afternoon when things were quiet, but the exercise was due to run until quite late that night when things would get much busier.

The next time you see an ANPR exercise in progress – that is if you recognise it as such because the camera car shows no signs of what is inside it – give positive thought to the benefits it brings to us law abiding people and the number of crimes detected – rather than the negative thought that the police should find something better to do than persecute the motorist.

I know I will.

[andsome]

I fully agree with the sentiments of your posting. What I find difficult to swallow is that frequently apparent attitude of police loath to attend an incident until it is too late. Try getting help when a bunch of yobs are creating mayhem. Try and get them to attend a burglary scene. In fact, in some areas try and contact police at all. In Chasetown in Staffordshire, the old police station has been demolished, and a new one built at a cost of over £1,000, 000. It is rarely open. Just inside a vestibule entrance is a telephone for you to contact the police at Cannock by telephone, that is if someone at the other end will bother to answer. Recently an incident was reported when someone tried to get the police to a scene where a crowd of yobs had started a fire in the local park, burning the soft safety layer on the kids area. When they eventually got through they were told that there were only two officers on duty in the whole area, and that no one would attend. Cuts cuts and more cuts appears to be the governments attitude to fighting crime. When someone climbed up onto a balcony at Buck house in a Batman costume some time ago, dozens of police were there in minutes, they managed to find some for a trivial incident like that.

[Thos]

Very interesting AlanHo. Oddly enough there was a programme on TV a couple of nights ago where cameras followed police in Hampshire (I think) doing this very thing. They (the police) were ecstatic at the recent change in the law which you mention of being able to confiscate and crush the car and one or two drivers, faced with having to buy Road Fund Tax were not unhappy at having their old banger crushed. Hitherto drivers were sent away and given 5 days to produce their docs, never to be seen again.

Thos.

[-pops-]

This is all very laudible but this "instant" justice and car crushing is very worrying.

What happens when my Rolls Royce is subject to this knee jerk response to a misdemeanour just because the device that read my numberplate mistook a "B" for an "8" or some such error. Who pays for my new Roller or is it a case of "hard luck mate"?

The Rolls Royce is illustrative only of a high value car. I don't actually own one.

[andsome]

This is all very laudible but this "instant" justice and car crushing is very worrying.

What happens when my Rolls Royce is subject to this knee jerk response to a misdemeanour just because the device that read my numberplate mistook a "B" for an "8" or some such error. Who pays for my new Roller or is it a case of "hard luck mate"?

The Rolls Royce is illustrative only of a high value car. I don't actually own one.

I don't think that it is taken away immediately and crushed. I don't honestly think that your roller is in any danger. I fully agree with the crushing procedure.

[AlanHo]

In talking to a number of the police on the day - it was very clear that they are just as frustrated as we about the level of crime and the perceived failures of our legal system.

Some of their problems are down to the heavy burden of admin work and silly targets imposed by successive governments, some due to the need to pay undue attention to 'elf 'n safety and quite a lot affected by human rights, data protection etc. Worst of all though is the difficulty of maintaining morale when we have such an inconsistent, sometimes ludicrous, judicial system.

They cited the example that it had taken weeks and many man-hours of valuable time to carry out a thorough risk assessment in accordance with 'elf 'n safety law before they were able to invite us members of the public to travel in police vehicles and witness this operation. Frustrating innit.

[gordythegouge]

Very interesting AlanHo. Oddly enough there was a programme on TV a couple of nights ago where cameras followed police in Hampshire (I think) doing this very thing. They (the police) were ecstatic at the recent change in the law which you mention of being able to confiscate and crush the car and one or two drivers, faced with having to buy Road Fund Tax were not unhappy at having their old banger crushed. Hitherto drivers were sent away and given 5 days to produce their docs, never to be seen again.

Thos.

crush the car and one or two drivers

A bit excessive there Thos!!!! :lol:

[dadyassa]

They have started crushing illegal UK plated cars in Spain.

You are only allowed to keep them in Spain for 6 months and they must be taxed and MOT`d in country of origin.

So UK cars with no tax disc are easy to spot.

[Thos]

Very interesting AlanHo. Oddly enough there was a programme on TV a couple of nights ago where cameras followed police in Hampshire (I think) doing this very thing. They (the police) were ecstatic at the recent change in the law which you mention of being able to confiscate and crush the car and one or two drivers, faced with having to buy Road Fund Tax were not unhappy at having their old banger crushed. Hitherto drivers were sent away and given 5 days to produce their docs, never to be seen again.

Thos.

crush the car and one or two drivers

A bit excessive there Thos!!!! :lol:

Yes it is a bit. :lol:

Thos.

[expertec]

Computer says nooo...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox/5372432.stm