In 2015, the city of LaGrange, Ga., had three homicides occur in rapid succession.
The LaGrange Police Department was able to solve them in part because the perpetrators’ vehicles were caught on private surveillance video.
That imagery and the license plate data it revealed helped lead police to the suspects.
After seeing how private surveillance cameras were able to help them investigate major crimes, the LaGrange Police Department began looking into the use of citywide automatic license plate recognition (LPR).
(See a brief introduction and demonstration of PlateSmart ARES Automatic License Plate Recognition software solution demonstration. Courtesy of PlateSmart Technologies and YouTube.)
The city of LaGrange chose to invest in a ARES® LPR solution from PlateSmart Technologies, a Platinum Award Winner for Four Consecutive Years in the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program, most recently in the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program.
As the city has its own IT department, PlateSmart trained them and supported them in the installation.
“We implemented PlateSmart LPR across the busiest intersections in LaGrange,” said Lt. Dale Strickland of the LaGrange Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Section.
“At present, we’re using it on 10 intersections.”
Detectives and patrol officers alike use the system via PlateSmart ARES Viewer.
The department updates its hotlists with license plate information for suspects of a crime, those with outstanding warrants, AMBER Alerts, etc.
If the system gets a hit, patrol officers in the field are notified automatically and can take action to intercept and stop the vehicle.
The Challenge
For PlateSmart, the job doesn’t end with the sale and installation of software.
An LPR system requires that the cameras — the system’s eyes — are properly positioned and calibrated, as well.
“Our cameras weren’t able to be positioned over the intersections,” Strickland said.
“Instead, they could only be mounted on poles adjacent to the intersections.
“This required a lot of tweaking to make sure the PlateSmart LPR system could reliably capture plates at those intersections.”
“We also had to move some of our IR lights to better facilitate nighttime LPR.”
“But PlateSmart provided excellent support throughout the entire process in making those adjustments.”
On June 27, 2018, four men from Columbus, Mississippi, joined a LaGrange man to rob the three owners of a LaGrange store.
“They had heard that the owners took a strongbox full of cash home every evening,” Strickland said.
“That information was inaccurate.”
According to Strickland, the men planned to fake having a disabled vehicle along the route the store owners took home.
They expected the store owners to pull over and assist, after which they planned to rob them of the strongbox.
When the store owners did not stop, the men fired shots into their vehicle.
While the targeted victims were unhurt, one of the perpetrators was caught in the crossfire and left dead at the scene.
Responding officers used witness and victim statements to identify the vehicle.
Because PlateSmart ARES is also able to detect the vehicle make, the LPR system made it easy to search for the vehicle and identify the Mississippi plate.
The LaGrange Police Department was able to work with authorities in Columbus to arrest all of the suspects and charge one additional person with evidence tampering.
“When officers responded to the armed robbery call, they found a body and nothing else,” Strickland said.
“While we were able to get a description of the vehicle, without the PlateSmart LPR system we would have been looking for a needle in a haystack.”
“PlateSmart made it easy to search for the vehicle, identify the plate and quickly bring the perpetrators to justice.”
According to Strickland, the PlateSmart ARES system helped local prosecutors, as well.
“The PlateSmart system provided evidence that made it easier for prosecutors to build a case against the perpetrators,” he said.
“It helped us corroborate witness and victim statements and prove that the vehicle was at the scene of the crime.”
“As a result, several of the perpetrators pled out rather than face a jury trial.”
ARES Fixed Location ALPR
ARES fixed location ALPR is a quantum leap in the evolution of video analytics based on Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) or internationally known as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).
The multiple identifiers associated with a vehicle enable ARES to provide an immense amount of data and analytics intelligence.
Whether you’re looking to beef up security or utilize the information for business intelligence, ARES works for you.
Proactive – Protective – Preventative
ARES ALPR offers the groundbreaking capabilities of PlateSmart’s software-only automatic license plate recognition solution, as well as real-time data mining and analytic tools never before available, at an unmatched price point.
This is the most cost-effective and powerful software developed for counter-terrorism, law enforcement, private security, business intelligence, and much more.
ARES Features Include
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Affordable Price Point
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Works with Virtually Any Surveillance Camera
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Hosted Service or Onsite Installation
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24/7 Operation in All Weather
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Reads Multiple Regions of Interest in the Same Video Image
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Integrates with Virtually Any VMS
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On-Demand Recording
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Easily Scalable
ARES Cloud-Based Hosting
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Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
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Minimal hardware installation required
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Works with your infrastructure
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No “rip and replace” of equipment
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Full ARES feature set with minimal administrative and IT overhead
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Run ALPR reports using any web browser
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Receive live email and text alerts to any device
High-Definition Areas of Interest
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Reduced hardware footprint and cost
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Leverages high-definition cameras
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Enables plate captures from a flexible field of view
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Captures multiple regions of traffic and overviews at the same time from a single camera
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Capture regions user-definable
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Easy installation
ARES Viewer
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Simple standalone application for ARES ALPR monitoring
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ALPR captures and alerts shown complete with full-color images, state, and make
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Access details about any plate or capture or alert
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Easy grouping by camera, captured plate, make, or state for quick research
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Instant keyword search by camera name, make, or state
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Partial plate number search
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Assign multiple colors and customization for different alerts and features
The PlateSmart Network
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Law enforcement can be instantly notified of intruders on your property
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Share license plate capture data with other ARES users via a secure connection
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Perfect for businesses, housing developments, hospitals, college campuses, and more
PlateSmart Achieves ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System Certification
Documented processes, ongoing evaluation and continuous improvement: these are the hallmarks of quality in product development.
After months of work and a rigorous audit process, PlateSmart Technologies has been recognized for its commitment to quality with ISO 9001:2015 certification.
“ISO 9001 certification is the international gold standard for excellence in quality management,” explains John Chigos, CEO, PlateSmart.
“Our customers and technology partners already know the high-quality standards to which we hold our license plate recognition (LPR) solutions — the original software-only LPR solutions.”
“This certification is just another way we continue to set an example for LPR industry.”
ISO 9001 is a set of quality-management standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Compliance with ISO 9001 means a company has documented processes for product development, deployment and support that ensure customer expectations are met.
It also ensures that the company routinely evaluates these processes and implements improvements as necessary.
PlateSmart worked with Perry Johnson Registrars, an accredited third-party certification body, which after conducting a two-stage initial quality management system process-based audit, granted the company ISO 9001:2015 certification.
“ISO 9001 is more than a certification — it is a mindset,” added Chigos.
“PlateSmart is committed to quality and continuous improvement every day.”
“The certification also helps bring standardization to the entire industry by keeping companies honest in their claims and avoiding misleading statements such as ‘99-plus percent accuracy.’”
PlateSmart ARES® unveiled the latest version of the software at GSX 2019 as well as a new integrated solution.
PlateSmart ARES 2.6.0 provides customers more actionable vehicle data, even better accuracy and more robust performance.
The all-new Powered by PlateSmart™ solution allows security technology providers to offer LPR in the most cost-effective way possible: by integrating PlateSmart technology within their products.
“When it comes to software-only LPR solutions, PlateSmart led the way,” said Chigos.
“And now we’ve made our LPR technology even better. We’ve taken advantage of the most advanced deep learning technology to give users even more vehicle data.”
“Plus, our engineering team improved PlateSmart ARES 2.6.0 performance while making it more efficient and flexible to install and use.”
“As for Powered by PlateSmart, it’s a game-changer — plain and simple.”
“This field-tested, proven technology is the easiest, most cost-effective way for companies offering security solutions to provide LPR using PlateSmart’s industry-leading technology.”
PlateSmart ARES has always been built upon AI and machine learning — technology that allows it to read the license plate as well as the state jurisdiction and vehicle make.
Thanks to the latest deep learning technology, PlateSmart ARES can now identify vehicle color and will soon be able to address vehicle orientation (front, rear or side) and type.
That gives customers more actionable data, and from a performance perspective, the new version of PlateSmart ARES also excels.
New functionality is designed to minimize any burden on the PlateSmart LPR processor or the CPU.
For example, users can specify particular regions of the video frame for the software to look for the plate while masking others, freeing up precious CPU capacity.
Regarding accuracy, PlateSmart ARES 2.6.0 addresses some especially hard-to-read plates — those captured at an angle — by employing a technology called Perspective Correction.
This allows users to instruct the software to take the images captured at up to 45 degrees and essentially straighten them so they can be more easily — and accurately — read.
The new version of PlateSmart ARES can work with existing components such as PlateSmart ARES Viewer and Reporter or can be used as a standalone tool.
It can be configured and administered via an all-new, browser-based user interface that makes setup and camera configuration a breeze.
This includes video management system (VMS) providers, camera manufacturers, security software firms and the like.
PlateSmart Takes Platinum in Fourth Consecutive ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program
PlateSmart Technology
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Best License Plate Recognition System
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Powered by PlateSmart
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Powered by PlateSmart is a new offering for security solution providers such as camera manufacturers, security software firms, etc., to integrate PlateSmart’s award-winning License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology into their own product offerings.
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*PlateSmart was also recognized in the 2016, 2017 and 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Programs
The 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program surpassed expectations with a record number of nominations received from industry leaders and government agencies, and drew over 200 attendees to the ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Banquet – an exclusive gourmet luncheon and networking opportunity which filled to capacity, before having to turn away late registrants.
The event featured an impassioned and compelling keynote address by William J. Bratton, former police commissioner of the New York Police Department (NYPD) twice, the Boston Police Department (BPD), and former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), as he walked attendees through 50 years of American policing history, the impacts on the communities, and the evolution of critical communication capabilities in our post 9/11 landscape.
Commissioner Bratton, one of the world’s most respected and trusted experts on risk and security issues and Executive Chairman of Teneo Risk a global advisory firm, was recognized as the ‘2019 ‘ASTORS’ Person of the Year’ for his Lifetime of Dedication and Extraordinary Leadership in Homeland Security and Public Safety.
Why the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program?
American Security Today’s comprehensive Annual Homeland Security Awards Program is organized to recognize the most distinguished vendors of physical, IT, port security, law enforcement, and first responders, in acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to ‘Keep our Nation Secure, One City at a Time.’
Over 200 distinguished guests representing Federal, State and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms, gathered from across North America, Europe and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields which included:
- The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
- United States Marine Corps
- The Federal Protective Service (FPS)
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
- United States Postal Inspection Service
- DHS S&T
- United States Marshals Service (USMS)
- The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Police (PAPD)
- The Department of Justice (DOJ)
- The New York State Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services (NYS DHSES)
- United States Border Patrol
- AlertMedia, Ameristar Perimeter Security, Attivo Networks, Automatic Systems, Bellevue University, BriefCam, Canon U.S.A., CornellCookson, Drone Aviation, FLIR Systems, Hanwha Techwin, HID Global, IPVideo Corp., Konica Minolta Business Solutions, LenelS2, ManTech, Regroup Mass Notifications, SafeLogic, SolarWinds, Senstar, ShotSpotter, Smiths Detection, TCOM LP, Trackforce, Verint, and More!
Why American Security Today?
The traditional security marketplace has long been covered by a host of publications putting forward the old school basics to what is Today – a fast changing security landscape.
The traditional security marketplace has long been covered by a host of publications putting forward the old school basics to what is Today – a fast changing security landscape.
American Security Today is uniquely focused on the broader Homeland Security & Public Safety marketplace with over 75,000 readers at the Federal, State and local levels of government as well as firms allied to government.
American Security Today brings forward a fresh compelling look and read with our customized digital publications that hold readers eyes throughout the story with cutting edge editorial that provides solutions to their challenges.
Harness the Power of the Web – with our 100% Mobile Friendly Publications
The AST Digital Publications is distributed to over 75,000 qualified government and homeland security professionals in federal, state and local levels.
‘PROTECTING OUR NATION, ONE CITY AT A TIME’
AST Reaches both Private & Public Experts, essential to meeting these new challenges.
Today’s new generation of public safety and security experts need real-time knowledge to deal with domestic and international terrorism, lone wolf attacks, unprecedented urban violence, shifts in society, culture and media bias – making it increasingly difficult for Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Military and Private Security Professionals to implement coordinated security measures to ensure national security and improve public safety.
These experts are from Government at the federal, state and local level as well as from private firms allied to government.
AST provides a full plate of topics in our AST Monthly Magazine Editions, AST Website and AST Daily News Alerts, covering 23 Vital Sectors such as Access Control, Perimeter Protection, Video Surveillance/Analytics, Airport Security, Border Security, CBRNE Detection, Border Security, Ports, Cybersecurity, Networking Security, Encryption, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Campus Security, Security Services, Corporate Facilities, and Emergency Response among others.
AST has Expanded readership into integral Critical Infrastructure audiences such as Protection of Nuclear Facilities, Water Plants & Dams, Bridges & Tunnels, and other potential targets of terrorism.
Other areas of concern include Transportation Hubs, Public Assemblies, Government Facilities, Sporting & Concert Stadiums, our Nation’s Schools & Universities, and Commercial Business Destinations – all enticing targets due to the large number of persons and resources clustered together.
To learn more about the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Award Winners solutions, Be on the lookout for the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Championship Edition Magazine – the Best Products of 2019 ‘A Year in Review’.
The ‘ASTORS’ Champion Edition is published annually in December and includes a review of programs, feature details on many of the winning firms, video interviews and more.
To learn about advertising opportunities with American Security Today, please contact Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.
PlateSmart Technologies developed the original software-only license plate recognition (LPR) solution, PlateSmart ARES®, which is compatible with virtually all video management systems (VMS) and IP cameras.
Designed to function as a stand-alone tool or integrate with third-party software and hardware, PlateSmart ARES provides near-real-time actionable vehicle intelligence for complete situational awareness.
The software offers true object recognition instead of simple optical character recognition (OCR), which allows it to read the plate as well as the state jurisdiction and vehicle make.
PlateSmart has earned multiple industry awards for excellence in security technology.
AST strives to meet a 3 STAR trustworthiness rating, based on the following criteria:
- Provides named sources
- Reported by more than one notable outlet
- Includes supporting video, direct statements, or photos
