Fop 1 Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Camera grid to log number plates By Richard Bilton Special correspondent, BBC News VIDEO The BBC has learned a national network of cameras monitoring Britain's roads will be in place within months. A national network of cameras and computers automatically logging car number plates will be in place within months, the BBC has learned. Thousands of Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras are already operating on Britain's roads. Police forces across England, Wales and Scotland will soon be able to share the information on one central computer. Officers say it is a useful tool in fighting crime, but critics say the network is secretive and unregulated. Kent's Chief Constable, Michael Fuller, commented: "We've seen an increase of some 40% of arrests since we've been using this technology. "I'm very confident that we're using it properly and responsibly, and that innocent people have nothing to fear from the way we use it." WHO'S WATCHING YOU? Monday, 25 May, 2009 BBC Two, 2100 BST Or catch up on BBC iPlayer A number of local councils are signing up their Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) systems to the ANPR network. As long as the cameras are technically good enough, they can be adapted to take the software. In towns such as Bradford, Portsmouth and Luton that means greater coverage for the police and more journeys captured and recorded. John Dean, who is co-ordinating the ANPR network for the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "It's the finest intelligence-led policing tool we've got. "It covers so many different areas from crime reduction, crime detection to road safety and everything in between." Marked car But not everyone thinks it is such a good thing. John Catt A 'marker' on John Catt's car led to him being stopped by anti terror police John Catt found himself on the wrong side of the ANPR system. He regularly attends anti-war demonstrations outside a factory in Brighton, his home town. It was at one of these protests that Sussex police put a "marker" on his car. That meant he was added to a "hotlist". This is a system meant for criminals but John Catt has not been convicted of anything and on a trip to London, the pensioner found himself pulled over by an anti-terror unit. "I was threatened under the Terrorist Act. I had to answer every question they put to me, and if there were any questions I would refuse to answer, I would be arrested. I thought to myself, what kind of world are we living in?" Sussex police would not talk about the case. The police say they do not know how many cameras there are in total, and they say that for operational reasons they will not say where the fixed cameras are positioned. 'Limited resources' Information Commissioner Richard Thomas, whose job it is to protect personal data, has concerns about the lack of regulation. He said: "There's very little monitoring. I mean, my office has very limited powers. "We have very limited resources. We are not actively monitoring that area. You're right to ask the question. No one's checking it at the moment" The BBC TV series Who's Watching You? asked the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, to comment on the Commissioner's views. "It's something that we will look at further legislation about where necessary," she said. "I don't think we should lose sight of the very considerable benefits that this technology also brings us, brings law enforcement." Recent research by Huddersfield University found that the public seemed to share that view. The study took place in Leeds as the ANPR system was being introduced. The vast majority supported the cameras if they caught law breakers, with only a few mentioning concerns about police surveillance. The police themselves say they have nothing to hide and would welcome the introduction of a regulatory code. But that seems some way off - and for now this secretive system continues to watch us and continues to grow. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/whos...you/8064333.stm It's funny how Jaqui Smith says the Information Commissioner is monitoring this, when just before in the report the Information Commissioner say he isn't monitoring (and legally cannot) it and neither is anyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jusoda Kid 1 Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Whats with the NSFW, I keep expecting filth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 7327 Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 He was pulled about a dubious post weeks ago, so in true 5 year old fashion he puts NSFW in every post. Its almost as cool as referring to yourself in the 3rd person Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooth Operator 10 Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 SMO does not like to be lured into threads claiming to be NSFW to find they are indeed safe for SMO's workplace environment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 He was pulled about a dubious post weeks ago, so in true 5 year old fashion he puts NSFW in every post. Its almost as cool as referring to yourself in the 3rd person This is about as NSFW as either of those. Like Fop said before this apparently how it must be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawD 99 Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 He was pulled about a dubious post weeks ago, so in true 5 year old fashion he puts NSFW in every post. Its almost as cool as referring to yourself in the 3rd person This is about as NSFW as either of those. Like Fop said before this apparently how it must be. What? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gejon 2 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Fop being a twat, thats unusual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 71 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 The Grid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 Fop being a twat, thats unusual. Fop doesn't run these cameras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 The Grid. When they can tie them all in to on giant network (and they very nearly can, and probably will within 2-3 year) it raises some serious issues. Clearly cars that may be carrying dangerous people should be flagged, but equally clearly someone that's just visited a peace camp should never been on this system. And indeed what exactly they are recording and storing needs to be watched (there's no justification for effectively recording everyone's travel patterns just to maybe catch a few more - that was the DNA argument and it didn't wash with the EU or any right minded people). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 71 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 The Grid. When they can tie them all in to on giant network (and they very nearly can, and probably will within 2-3 year) it raises some serious issues. Clearly cars that may be carrying dangerous people should be flagged, but equally clearly someone that's just visited a peace camp should never been on this system. And indeed what exactly they are recording and storing needs to be watched (there's no justification for effectively recording everyone's travel patterns just to maybe catch a few more - that was the DNA argument and it didn't wash with the EU or any right minded people). Thing is the it barely registers with Joe Public till they come across in some form...ie pulled up for visiting some demo or whatnot. Something registering on the scale at say 10 needs to happen before people barely perceive 2. I actually now realise that people aren't really that interested in freedom as long as the basics are there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 The Grid. When they can tie them all in to on giant network (and they very nearly can, and probably will within 2-3 year) it raises some serious issues. Clearly cars that may be carrying dangerous people should be flagged, but equally clearly someone that's just visited a peace camp should never been on this system. And indeed what exactly they are recording and storing needs to be watched (there's no justification for effectively recording everyone's travel patterns just to maybe catch a few more - that was the DNA argument and it didn't wash with the EU or any right minded people). Thing is the it barely registers with Joe Public till they come across in some form...ie pulled up for visiting some demo or whatnot. Something registering on the scale at say 10 needs to happen before people barely perceive 2. I actually now realise that people aren't really that interested in freedom as long as the basics are there. Most people would rather have a new pair of shoes/mobile phone/chinese takeaway/etc. than freedom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gejon 2 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 The Grid. When they can tie them all in to on giant network (and they very nearly can, and probably will within 2-3 year) it raises some serious issues. Clearly cars that may be carrying dangerous people should be flagged, but equally clearly someone that's just visited a peace camp should never been on this system. And indeed what exactly they are recording and storing needs to be watched (there's no justification for effectively recording everyone's travel patterns just to maybe catch a few more - that was the DNA argument and it didn't wash with the EU or any right minded people). Thing is the it barely registers with Joe Public till they come across in some form...ie pulled up for visiting some demo or whatnot. Something registering on the scale at say 10 needs to happen before people barely perceive 2. I actually now realise that people aren't really that interested in freedom as long as the basics are there. Most people would rather have a new pair of shoes/mobile phone/chinese takeaway/etc. than freedom. If you COULDN'T have them you wouldn't have freedom anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 71 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 The Grid. When they can tie them all in to on giant network (and they very nearly can, and probably will within 2-3 year) it raises some serious issues. Clearly cars that may be carrying dangerous people should be flagged, but equally clearly someone that's just visited a peace camp should never been on this system. And indeed what exactly they are recording and storing needs to be watched (there's no justification for effectively recording everyone's travel patterns just to maybe catch a few more - that was the DNA argument and it didn't wash with the EU or any right minded people). Thing is the it barely registers with Joe Public till they come across in some form...ie pulled up for visiting some demo or whatnot. Something registering on the scale at say 10 needs to happen before people barely perceive 2. I actually now realise that people aren't really that interested in freedom as long as the basics are there. Most people would rather have a new pair of shoes/mobile phone/chinese takeaway/etc. than freedom. Seems like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 If you COULDN'T have them you wouldn't have freedom anyway Most wouldn't believe they had it, it's true. Sheople are fairly easy to herd in general and don't much care so long as they are adequately fed and watered. Some do understand what it is and why it's important though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 71 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 If you COULDN'T have them you wouldn't have freedom anyway Most wouldn't believe they had it, it's true. Sheople are fairly easy to herd in general and don't much care so long as they are adequately fed and watered. Some do understand what it is and why it's important though. The final war is the war for our minds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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