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Cheshire Police case study

Future proofing speed enforcement technology

QRO Solutions deploys cutting edge mobile ANPR solution for Cheshire Police.

 
When Cheshire Police wanted to upgrade the technology for its Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems (ANPR) and implement Petards Traffic Technology Provida 4000 speed enforcement and video recording systems in its advanced patrol cars it chose to work with QRO Solutions.

Cheshire Police's objective was to change the concept of the in-car technology required to run state-of-the-art ANPR, speed detection and video recording systems in its advanced patrol cars. Until this point, vehicles using these systems typically had a mobile data terminal or computer fitted into the boot with a screen mounted onto the dashboard.

"We now have a straightforward solution that is easier to use, easier to maintain and versatile, with the processing power to cope with any future requirements we may have.”

“We wanted a solution using an off-the-shelf tablet that would complement the interior of the vehicle without significantly altering the ergonomics of the dashboard but also have the processing power to take all the information feeds to meet the requirements of our complex in-vehicle systems both now and in the future," explained Trevor Longshaw, ANPR Development and Services Lead for Cheshire Police. "This would make the system easier to use and support and in the long term save money."
 

Simple USB connectivity

QRO Solutions designed an interface box to collate all the video and data information streams from the systems and feed them via simple USB connections to the Panasonic Toughpad tablet running a Windows 8.1 operating system. The Panasonic device then processes the information and communicates in real-time to both the officers in the vehicle and with the police force's back office systems and databases via its 3G and 4G connections using the pass through antenna from the vehicle docking mount. With this system in place, the mobile ANPR solution is more than capable of handling in excess of 15,000-20,000 number plate checks per day if required.

QRO Solutions has been specialising in providing ANPR technology to police forces for more than 15 years. The Cheshire vehicles use a rear MAV Rapier 30 Dual IR/Colour Camera and front facing MAV Sabre camera for number plate recognition alongside QRO Solution's Check IT software application. The vehicles are also fitted with a mini front facing camera for video recording.

In vehicles fitted with speed enforcement a Petards Traffic Technology Kestrel front facing camera is used for ANPR, video recording and speed detection. The recording application, also provided by QRO Solutions, is installed on the Toughpad and utilises the processing power in order to software encode the video into H.264 video standard along with audio.

The solution is being deployed in 53 BMW X5, 5 series and 3 series advanced patrol cars for Cheshire Police and the Firearms Alliance – a collaboration between North Wales and Cheshire police forces.

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The in-car solution

The solution comprises:

  • ProVida 4000 modular unit
  • Panasonic Toughpad tablet
  • Windows 8.1 operating system
  • Rapier Dual IR/colour camera
  • Sabre camera
  • Kestrel front facing camera
  • Check-IT ANPR software

 
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology is referred to as Automatic License Plate Reader/Recognition (ALPR) technology in the USA and other countries.

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