How Can Your Security System Recognize License Plates?

Nov 27, 2020 | News, Solutions

There are various reasons you may want to install a number plate recognition system at your business parking lot. Perhaps you want to track how many parking spots remain available or you wish to see who is accessing your lot outside business hours. Maybe your lot includes a parking fee and you’d like a way to track which cars paid or overstayed their welcome.

License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras and software are not limited to business security applications. Municipalities, places of worship, law enforcement agencies, and even universities also embrace this technology. Law enforcement agencies have been at the forefront in the adoption of license plate recognition technology; in fact, LPR has assisted in solving crimes like hit and runs or identifying vehicles involved in Amber Alerts. 

To recognize and log the license plates of cars entering and leaving your business premises with ease, a fixed license plate recognition system installed at the entrance and exit is a great solution. For parking lot security vehicles, an Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) camera affixed to the vehicle will save you time and money.

How Does LPR Work?

License plate recognition often uses a combination of cameras – a high-speed infrared (IR) camera and a high-resolution digital camera – to capture video of a vehicle license plate. Then, the software runs the footage through video analytics software. The video analytics software will then translate the still image or video of the license plate into machine-readable characters. The license plate can then be compared to a database (typically known as a “hot list”) of available plates for recognition. 

With Automatic License Plate Recognition systems in place, it’s easier for your business premises to track the number of vehicles that visit the facility. In case you have limited packing space, such solutions can help in enforcing parking regulations.

In vehicle-mounted ALPR systems, a computer is installed in the vehicle so the user can immediately access the license plate database and view the plates captured in real-time. Law enforcement officers who use this technology can manually enter plates, create hotlists, run reports, and identify vehicles of interest all from the driver’s seat. 

Advantages of Automatic License Plate Recognition

1. Enforce Parking Regulations

For parking authorities, LPR is an ideal solution to ensure compliance with parking regulations. LPR can prove useful to companies by keeping a catalog of vehicles entering the parking lot at different times, especially those with restricted parking. Individuals with purchased parking tags can be entered into the system so they are not flagged for violation. The system can also keep track of how long a vehicle has been parked in the same spot by doing a full lot sweep at specified time intervals; the software will recognize those outside the time limit you set. 

2. Improved Security

Inherently, LPR is a great security solution as well. You can easily identify a new or suspicious vehicle in your parking lot without having to go there physically to check. License plate recognition systems can also be used in forensics and investigations. Data from the ALPR system can be shared with law enforcement authorities for criminal activity investigations like stolen vehicles or identifying cars that fled a crime scene.

3. Surveillance with Cost Savings

LPR systems assist your security personnel and can eliminate the need for extra bodies; this is especially beneficial to small parking authorities or other operations where the budget does not allow for a full security staff. Using LPR automates most of the work for you and your company. For instance, security personnel won’t have to manually record the license plates of new vehicles entering the premises and physically walk a lap around the lot to double-check those plates for time limit violations later, saving possibly hours of work and ensuring accurately logged information. All of that work is taken care of by the ALPR system. That could also mean a slight reduction in recurrent expenditure. 

Conclusion

LPR is an excellent security solution to have at your corporate premises. Many Keystone Fire and Security customers say while the upfront cost can be expensive depending on the customized solution, these systems quickly pay for themselves and offer exceptional return on investment for years to come. 

Communication Systems Integrators, LLC (Keystone Fire and Security) is your go-to provider for corporate security systems in Allentown Pa. We have a team of expert access control specialists in Lehigh County Pa, and we offer more than one security solution for business property owners. With over four decades of experience in the commercial security industry, Keystone Fire and Security is the team you can trust to keep your people and property safe.

License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras and software are not limited to business security applications. Municipalities, places of worship, law enforcement agencies, and even universities also embrace this technology. Law enforcement agencies have been at the forefront in the adoption of license plate recognition technology; in fact, LPR has assisted in solving crimes like hit and runs or identifying vehicles involved in Amber Alerts. 

To recognize and log the license plates of cars entering and leaving your business premises with ease, a fixed license plate recognition system installed at the entrance and exit is a great solution. For parking lot security vehicles, an Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) camera affixed to the vehicle will save you time and money.

How Does LPR Work?

License plate recognition often uses a combination of cameras – a high-speed infrared (IR) camera and a high-resolution digital camera – to capture video of a vehicle license plate. Then, the software runs the footage through video analytics software. The video analytics software will then translate the still image or video of the license plate into machine-readable characters. The license plate can then be compared to a database (typically known as a “hot list”) of available plates for recognition. 

With Automatic License Plate Recognition systems in place, it’s easier for your business premises to track the number of vehicles that visit the facility. In case you have limited packing space, such solutions can help in enforcing parking regulations.

In vehicle-mounted ALPR systems, a computer is installed in the vehicle so the user can immediately access the license plate database and view the plates captured in real-time. Law enforcement officers who use this technology can manually enter plates, create hotlists, run reports, and identify vehicles of interest all from the driver’s seat. 

Advantages of Automatic License Plate Recognition

1. Enforce Parking Regulations

For parking authorities, LPR is an ideal solution to ensure compliance with parking regulations. LPR can prove useful to companies by keeping a catalog of vehicles entering the parking lot at different times, especially those with restricted parking. Individuals with purchased parking tags can be entered into the system so they are not flagged for violation. The system can also keep track of how long a vehicle has been parked in the same spot by doing a full lot sweep at specified time intervals; the software will recognize those outside the time limit you set. 

2. Improved Security

Inherently, LPR is a great security solution as well. You can easily identify a new or suspicious vehicle in your parking lot without having to go there physically to check. License plate recognition systems can also be used in forensics and investigations. Data from the ALPR system can be shared with law enforcement authorities for criminal activity investigations like stolen vehicles or identifying cars that fled a crime scene.

3. Surveillance with Cost Savings

LPR systems assist your security personnel and can eliminate the need for extra bodies; this is especially beneficial to small parking authorities or other operations where the budget does not allow for a full security staff. Using LPR automates most of the work for you and your company. For instance, security personnel won’t have to manually record the license plates of new vehicles entering the premises and physically walk a lap around the lot to double-check those plates for time limit violations later, saving possibly hours of work and ensuring accurately logged information. All of that work is taken care of by the ALPR system. That could also mean a slight reduction in recurrent expenditure. 

Conclusion

LPR is an excellent security solution to have at your corporate premises. Many Keystone Fire and Security customers say while the upfront cost can be expensive depending on the customized solution, these systems quickly pay for themselves and offer exceptional return on investment for years to come. 

Communication Systems Integrators, LLC (Keystone Fire and Security) is your go-to provider for corporate security systems in Allentown Pa. We have a team of expert access control specialists in Lehigh County Pa, and we offer more than one security solution for business property owners. With over four decades of experience in the commercial security industry, Keystone Fire and Security is the team you can trust to keep your people and property safe.

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