ANPR and unmarked Police Cars

[Daveperc]

Got my collar felt again this week - only a warning thankfully. Usual story of unmarked car coming down slip road and following me for a couple of miles before the blue lights appear.

So here's an idea! What if we could mount a small camera and ANPR system in the car, and build a database of the plods "unmarked" cars?

Technically it's a lot easier than their systems which link back to DVLA etc, and once it got to a critical mass of numbers could be quite affordable.

Anyone know if it's legal??

Anyone know of a system that already does it??

Dave

[tartan_rob]

I was led to believe that cars used and recovered from criminals and seized during a raid for example could now be used by the police.

This could mean their cars not being in circulation for very long..?

[Daveperc]

You may be right - but I have never seen an unmarked car on a plate older than two years. Also almost always fairly common models, and of course they have been modded to take all the kit.

I think the idea would need to rely on getting to a critical mass of users who reported on their findings.

Don't know if police could be obliged to publish numbers under Freedom of Information Act!

Dave

[lushman]

ANPR is not for general public, reason being due to the data that can be stored via a central computer.
Nice try, but I think the best way is your own memory. Also if you store the number plates for example on a phone this could be considered information likely to be of use to terrorists!
Think about it

[Daveperc]

Hi Lushman,

ANPR is just the recognition piece. I am not suggesting that we could access DVLA etc - there would simply need to be a list of reg no's "unmarked" vehicles. Since the data would be gathered by legal means from public observations, and would have no personal data (eg keeper etc) associated with it, there should be no problem under Data Protection. Even if there were a requirement to register this is no problem and the only requirement would be for some form of "retiring" process for old numbers.

The information is effectively in the public domain already - after all, anyone can observe an unmarked (or a marked ) police car and note its number. All we are doing is sharing the numbers with the public who have the technology to use it.

As for memorising numbers - well perhaps it's my age but there is no chance! And to be honest, I doubt if one can visually read a number at the sort of range they sit at on a motorway, in a mirror, and be safe, whereas a rear facing camera will do the job easily.

Approaching from behind is usually less of a problem - I use most ot the tricks listed [url http://www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk/police206.htm]here[/url] though in heavy traffic or rain they can still be a nightmare, and the searching can be a distraction from good driving.

And info for terrorists - well almost anything CAN fall under that catch-all, notably carrying a map!

I suspect cost is the only real barrier - getting to a critical mass of users to make the kit come down in price, and the database have sufficient useful data to make the observations reliable seem the main hurdles.

Dave

[Daveperc]

OK - here's my first "spot"

LL58FYY - Silver Volvo (V60 I think)

Followed him out of Cambridge on A630 this afternoon. He was four up and heading for a regular police watering hole, the "Hazy Dayz" cafe on the outskirts of Wimpole. Regularly see up to a dozen unmarked and badged police cars there, plus bikes. I understand from chatting to them that there is a police driving school near by.

In fact, if I could get an ANPR camera in to the hedge opposite the entrance.......

Dave

PS - I didn't think "unmarked" cars were supposed to break the limit, but he certainly hit over 90 on the way to the cafe - I followed (slowly, m'lord) about quarter of a mile back!

[travs]

Just to note - there is (although admit have not seen it ofr a few months) an unmarked BRG Jag X-type prowling the M23 around Gatwick. Fairly sure it is older than just a couple of years - can't remember exactly, but was def surprised by its age. And is def a police car as have seen it on a number of occasions with stopped motorists or ready to punce at the roundabout to North Terminal etc.

[MartinRS2K]

Haven't got reg numbers but there is a Silver BMW 3 Series and a Silver Volvo V70 Estate both on the M56.

[sfrs4]

mmmmmm lets see no reg marks but lincolnshire runs three bmw tourings 1 red 1 black 1 silver + an octavia vrs, derbyshire has a pair of evo 8's in silver, brum area has 2 bmw 6 series 1 in black those are just some of the ones i can remember off the top of my head.