UK Police Endeavor to Create the Largest Surveillance System in the World
Posted by Steve Chung
The UK newspaper, The Register, reports that the UK's Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) plan to create a national vehicle moving database that is designed to retain license plate data captured from moving vehicles. A control center in London will link existing speedcams and other databases around the country, and by the end of the year, APCO expects the control center to process up to 50 million number plates, which would make it one of the most pervasive surveillance systems in the world. APCO's roads policing head, Meredydd Hughes, has revealed that Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems will be placed along roads every 400 yards, and will be used to enforce speed limits and then later to address more serious crimes. While the system will undoubtedly become a powerful tool for police officers, privacy concerns will inevitably arise, especially as the technology advances and license plate data is linked with faces and images of vehicle interiors.