Law enforcement in a fast-growing Florida county to use advanced License Plate Recognition (LPR) software to fight crime and protect the community
September 2013 (OLDSMAR, Fla.) — The Pasco County Florida Sheriff’s Office (PSO) has selected PlateSmart Technologies’ Mobile License Plate Recognition (LPR) software as its latest tool in the fight against crime. The software, developed by Florida-based PlateSmart Technologies, represents the latest and most promising innovation in law enforcement technology.
The PSO purchased the PlateSmart products with funds provided by the Pasco Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP). The initial deployment of PlateSmart software by the Pasco Sheriff’s Office will consist of five patrol units equipped with LPR and a mobile unit. The total cost was $64,365.98.
In the past, law enforcement agencies were typically only able to deploy one or at most two units at a time due to the enormously high costs associated with the LPR technology then available. PlateSmart’s flexibility plus the inherently affordable price point of the software translate to significant cost savings over competing technology. PlateSmart’s Mobile LPR solution is compatible with any Windows PC and a wide range of video surveillance cameras, including low-cost off-the-shelf units. This is a significant departure from its competitors, which require the purchase of specialized cameras and processing hardware as part of a package in order to function.
“This product allows one deputy to do the work that it would take several deputies to accomplish,” said Sgt. Art Rowand of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office Selective Traffic Enforcement Patrol Unit. “And now our deputies can get better results safer and faster.”
In addition to enabling the deployment of a large number of vehicles with LPR, PlateSmart has equipped the Sheriff’s Office with back-end data management software that allows for instantaneous information sharing among officers. The software permits patrol officers to subscribe to alerts generated by other LPR units in their network and also to receive instant messages from headquarters. These and other advanced information-sharing features ensure that officers receive Be On The Look Out (BOLO) alerts from captured license plates in real time and are able to collaborate to catch perpetrators more quickly than ever before.
The Sheriff’s Office has also purchased a portable LPR unit from PlateSmart, which can easily be moved from vehicle to vehicle. This is another unique innovation by PlateSmart, which does not require complex permanent installations of equipment unlike its competitors.
“We are very pleased and proud that PlateSmart is now part of Pasco County law enforcement,” said John Chigos, PlateSmart founder and CEO. “The mission of our company has always been saving lives and fighting crime. PlateSmart empowers Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies to do both with real-time actionable intelligence.”
PlateSmart® is manufactured exclusively by Cyclops Technologies, Inc., a privately owned company located in Oldsmar, Florida that was incorporated in 2004. PlateSmart® is the world’s first software-only License Plate Recognition solution. The company’s staff consists of mathematicians, video engineers, attorneys, software developers, IT specialists, and former law enforcement personnel. www.platesmart.com