Fitting ANPR to general beat patrol vehicles has never been an affordable option – until now.
Until now, mobile ANPR in police vehicles was seen as a highly effective but expensive tool. Sophisticated multiple camera systems running on ‘fixed’ in-vehicle computing have been deployed in ‘specialist ANPR vehicles’ throughout the whole of UK Forces with spectacular results.
However, the cost of the ‘in vehicle’ hardware and the high fitting and licence / support costs have restricted the deployment of ANPR to a small number of specialist vehicles within forces. Fitting ANPR to general beat patrol and response vehicles has never been an affordable option.
Whilst the benefits of having ANPR in all ‘beat patrol’ vehicles in a force fleet are relatively clear, the cost of installing such a large number of units has been totally prohibitive, Until now…
With the launch of affordable rugged demountable computer systems such as TETRAtab C Series, the ability to provide simple CIVICA ANPR facilities to all general patrol vehicles is now a practical and affordable reality.
To develop this potential, CIVICA and TETRAtab have been working in partnership to deliver a highly innovative mobile ANPR solution is an affordable solution.
This ‘single lane’ solution was initially tested and trialled on West Mercia Community Safety ‘Speedwatch’ vans. This solution provides a highly affordable and easily deployable solution to provide ‘background’ ANPR intelligence gathering deployed in mobile / static ‘speedwatch’ vehicles.
This ‘speedwatch’ solution is now been offered nationally to all community safety partnerships and other organisations deploying mobile and or static camera vans etc…
The benefits of deploying ANPR on a TETRAtab demountable rugged tablet PC:
- The computer can work independently of ANPR providing ‘standard’ mobile computing and access to force information systems
- Demountable tablets allow safe and secure remote working ‘in vehicle’ – but can then be ‘demounted’ to allow access to force processes and systems away from the vehicle – (e.g. e-witness statements, remote desktop access, crime recording, command and control dispatch and update logs etc.)
- ANPR need not interfere with a normal patrol function – unless so required. Proactive ANPR ‘hits’ need not be reported to the patrolling officer unless required. The ANPR could be set to run as a ‘background’ service whilst on routine beat patrol – thereby acting as an intelligence gathering facility throughout the whole tour of duty.
- However, where a patrolling officer has such a requirement, then the ‘single lane’ system can be quickly configured to provide ANPR ‘hits’ – to enable immediate proactive action by the officer.
- The TETRAtab devices can be deployed as a ‘standard’ mobile data system from day 1 – but then CIVICA ANPR can be ‘layered’ onto the computer as an ‘add-on’ – at a later date.
- Forces that have already rolled out TETRAtab solution can easily ‘retro-fit’ CIVICA ANPR – thereby further exploiting the initial hardware investment.
- This also allows forces to phase deployments / investments.
- The CIVICA / TETRAtab system runs on a single (or dual) cost effective camera configuration – no requirement for sophisticated multi-lane or infra-red cameras.
The CIVICA / TETRAtab system is not designed to replace full ANPR multi-camera systems currently deployed on specialist ANPR patrol units. These types of vehicles have sophisticated ‘multi-lane’ and bad weather / nigh-time facilities – and are usually targeted as highly ‘pro-active’ patrol units.
The CIVICA / TETRAtab system is designed specifically for more ‘routine’ beat patrol units – where the primary function is not to deliver ANPR patrolling – instead, the system is designed to provide occasional ‘proactive’ HITS, but mainly an ability to constantly gather ANPR intelligence information throughout the whole tour of duty of a routine beat patrol.
A WINNING COMBINATION
CIVICA and TETRAtab recently worked together as part of a successful consortium with Vauxhall Special Vehicles and several other partners to deliver an award winning ‘Police Car of the Future’.
This vehicle which demonstrated CIVICA ANPR solutions running on TETRAtab rugged mobile computing was awarded first prize by ACPO ITS / Home Office CAST judging panel.
ABOUT TETRAtab
TETRAtab Ltd has been providing hardware solutions for ‘blue light’ and other front-line work forces internationally for 7 years. We are partnered with Intel to produce our TETRAtab ‘C’ Series rugged Windows tablet which is having great success in the UK, Europe and world-wide.
The primary driver of this success is the TETRAtab C Series convertible tablet computer. This is 'tough enough for the front line', but is priced at around 70% LESS than traditional ‘toughened’ convertible laptops.
The C Series is a purpose designed ‘front-line worker’ device - supplied as standard with Windows 7 Pro, (upgradeable to windows 8) fully integrated 3G / GPRS / Wi-Fi/ GPS / Bluetooth, rotating /convertible 10.1” high resolution touch screen, 64GB Solid State hard drive, full QWERTY keyboard and mouse pad, 9 hour battery, and integrated carry handle. The device is tested to IP 41 specification with 60cm drop, 250 ml direct liquid pour onto keyboard, 10 minutes in full rainfall and 1mm dust ingress resistance.
The other key driver of TETRAtab’s success is our comprehensive range of affordable and flexible vehicle docking accessories which transform any type of vehicle into a mobile office.
The TETRAtab vehicle docking solution has provided the platform for the ‘Police Car of the Future’ which recently won first prize in a prestigious Home Office / A.C.P.O. National Competition. You may have seen this on the BBC or in the Sunday Times and Mail on Sunday.