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44 SECURITY TECHNOLOGY EXECUTIVE • February/March 2016 www.SecurityInfoWatch.com VIDEO SURVEILLANCE The Advantages of Fixed Cameras Over Mobile In security and law enforcement circles, ALPR is already well known as a useful anti-crime tool. However, it is typically thought of as a mobile system mounted on patrol vehicles. This type of ALPR solution has its uses, but the technology is actually of far greater value as a cornerstone of a fixed-location video sur- veillance network. Mobile ALPR , even when deployed on a large number of vehicles (which does not usually happen), still cannot cover a city's streets and important locales as com- pletely and as consistently as a network of fixed cameras can. This kind of comprehensive mass deployment is the only way that ALPR's potential is truly maximized. In this scenar- io, every vehicle that passes any camera in the city has its license plate captured and instantly compared to law enforcement databases in real time for active wants or warrants. If any are found, nearby units can be instantly dispatched to intercept them. The responding officers do not have to worry about operating the equip- ment themselves or interpreting the results, and real-time updates can be continually fed to them via radio as they close in on the sus- pect—even if they have to get out of their car. Additionally, all plate captures are stored for future reference if a particular vehicle is ever flagged for criminal activity. In that case, the stored data enables police to track the location of the suspect vehicle going back days, weeks, or even months. It is important to note that a fixed-camera network with ALPR-based video analytics also performs well on a smaller scale, in any loca- tion where physical security is needed. Some of the best examples include hospitals and university campuses, as they are ver y much like small cities themselves. In the latter case, the consistent real-time knowledge of who is entering and leaving the campus and when is of paramount importance to security and/or law enforcement personnel. With a complete network of the kind mentioned above, how- ever, it also becomes possible to know where vehicles are on campus and at what times. The system can also monitor parking and tell you if anyone is parking in a lot for which they are not authorized. Advanced pattern recognition algorithms, available as part of the on-board analytics, can also work in conjunction with perimeter-mounted cameras and alert security personnel if a vehicle is exhibiting suspicious movement patterns around the campus. In the case of hospitals, the same principles apply. An ALPR-based video analytics solu- tion would provide the ability to intelligent- ly monitor vehicles entering and exiting the property with a minimum of human interven- tion. It can also enhance monitoring of park- ing areas, automatically counting vehicles in each area and alerting designated personnel when capacity is reached. Additionally, it can be configured to control access to each parking area purely based on license plates, eliminat- ing the need for ID cards or decals and accu- rately ensuring that staff, patients, and visitors park in the appropriate areas. Just as impor- tantly, ALPR-based video analytics can allevi- ate a problem common to many hospitals— the situation where a sick or injured person is quickly dropped off at the Emergency Room from a vehicle that subsequently speeds away. The license plate number that security officers might miss is captured by the ALPR system, complete with full-color images and date and time stamps for law enforcement follow-up. The Evolution Toward Software- Based/Hardware-Agnostic Solutions As ALPR evolves from a primarily mobile to a primarily fixed-location solution, it is also making a dramatic paradigm shift from pro- prietary hardware-based systems to more flex- ible and affordable software-based technology. Until very recently, any kind of ALPR solution was dependent on specialized cameras and dedicated processing hardware to function; you also had to buy your entire package from one company. Now, software solutions are available that can perform ALPR with practically any existing camera—even cameras that you may already have in place, regardless of what video management system you may be using. This new approach to the technology has been a sig- nificant improvement in cost even for mobile "As ALPR evolves from a primarily mobile to a primarily fixed-location solution, it is also making a dramatic paradigm shift from proprietary hardware-based systems to more flexible and affordable software- based technology."