West Midlands rolls out 3G ANPR cameras

West Midlands Police is introducing 3G-enabled automatic numberplate recognition (ANPR) cameras on major routes across the force area. The new overt cameras will be sited at 16 different locations across the West Midlands.

Unlike more traditional ANPR cameras, which are ‘hard-wired’, the new 3G cameras are flexible and can be moved around easily to cover ‘hotspot’ areas across the force to capture details of ‘vehicles of interest’ that will be instantly uploaded to officers.

The cameras have been recycled from previous camera stock and rebuilt to make use of the latest technology, saving the force an estimated £140,000. Using 3G technology will also save West Midlands Police money on an ongoing basis as they are significantly cheaper to operate than hard-wired cameras.

Superintendent Darren Miles explained: “This is great news for the force. ANPR is an extremely valuable tool in tackling serious crime across the West Midlands.

“In recent years we have seen countless incidents where ANPR cameras have alerted us to the whereabouts of some of our most high-level criminals which has led to their subsequent arrests.

“The new cameras will be a really valuable addition to our current network and the fact they are so flexible and easy to move means we are able to respond to crime hotspots as soon as they emerge.

“We can respond to the seasonality of crime, moving the cameras to key locations at key times as informed by our analysts, keeping us one step ahead of the criminals.”

Supt Miles said the initial sites had been identified as a result of extensive intelligence work to maximise the opportunity to reduce and deter crime in key areas.

“They will compliment the current network and the cameras already in place on the motorway network, giving us valuable data,” he added.

The position of the new cameras will be reviewed regularly to ensure they are providing the best service for the people of the West Midlands. They are being installed in line with the Home Office ANPR Code of Practice, which ensures transparency and proportionality.

ANPR has proved invaluable to the force and the Central Motorway Police Group, a partnership between West Midlands Police, Staffordshire Police and West Mercia Police, to help detect, deter and disrupt criminality at a local, force, regional and national level, including tackling travelling criminals, organised crime groups and terrorists.