New York Counties Install Cameras Designed to Capture License Plates

New York Counties Install Cameras Designed to Capture License Plates

New York police departments install cameras along popular routes to record license plates.

Surveillance cameras designed to capture license plates play a part in an number of criminal investigations and have proven to be an important enforcement tool for police. In New York, police in Washington and Warren counties have banded together to fund the installation of these cameras to help aid in local security.

The devices photograph and log the license plates of every passing vehicle, producing a database that is key for the Washington County Sheriff's Office. 

They are part of a network of cameras around the region and state operated by a number of police departments, using the same technology that has put license plate reader cameras on some police cars to locate stolen vehicles, flag unregistered vehicles or alert police when a vehicle being sought in an investigation passes by.

The Warren County Sheriff's Office has a set of the cameras on a popular road and the State Police have them at a number of locations in the region as well. 

Washington County Sheriff Jew Murphy said the technology is particularly important for finding vehicles when "Amber Alerts" issued for abducted children. Just last fall, the technology played a part in helping police solve the disappearance of a local girl. 

"It's one of the best tools that has ever come around," Murphy said.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • The Next Generation

    Video security technology has reached an inflection point. With advancements in cloud infrastructure and internet bandwidth, hybrid cloud solutions can now deliver new capabilities and business opportunities for security professionals and their customers. Read Now

  • Help Your Customer Protect Themselves

    In the world of IT, insider threats are on a steep upward trajectory. The cost of these threats - including negligent and malicious employees that may steal authorized users’ credentials, rose from $8.3 million in 2018 to $16.2 million in 2023. Insider threats towards physical infrastructures often bleed into the realm of cybersecurity; for instance, consider an unauthorized user breaching a physical data center and plugging in a laptop to download and steal sensitive digital information. Read Now

  • Enhanced Situation Awareness

    Did someone break into the building? Maybe it is just an employee pulling an all-nighter. Or is it an actual perpetrator? Audio analytics, available in many AI-enabled cameras, can add context to what operators see on the screen, helping them validate assumptions. If a glass-break detection alert is received moments before seeing a person on camera, the added situational awareness makes the event more actionable. Read Now

  • Transformative Advances

    Over the past decade, machine learning has enabled transformative advances in physical security technology. We have seen some amazing progress in using machine learning algorithms to train computers to assess and improve computational processes. Although such tools are helpful for security and operations, machines are still far from being capable of thinking or acting like humans. They do, however, offer unique opportunities for teams to enhance security and productivity. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

New Products

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction. 3

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis. 3