Deltek Analyst Kristin Howe reports.
Of the countless technologies police officers use on a daily basis, speed-measuring devices and Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) are two of the most visible to those outside of law enforcement. These are the devices drivers see officers holding while parked on the side of the road. License plate readers, which can be either handheld or mounted, have a myriad uses including access control and assessing traffic and security. The readers use infrared illumination to scan the plate, and the system then captures and stores the image. Mounted readers can be connected to a computer system and security gates to note whether the license plate on the car approaching is approved to enter the facility; the gate can open or close depending on the plate scanned. Handheld readers are more often used by police officers to ensure cars are not stolen and that registration and inspections are current.