New OPP cameras scan licence plates
Back in May, this journal expressed the apprehension that license plate scanning would be the next thing. Well, here you go, Ontario: License plate scanning, just calmly announced as a done deal. Wait until this network expands to a critical capacity – the capability will then exist to track your movements around the city from a central location. Just like in the UK. Just like in New York. Just like in Washington. The control grid is going in all over the world, and dragnet enforcement for the insurance companies is the tip of the iceberg for the application of this technology. You’d better figure out what a massive threat this digital control infrastructure is to your liberal democracy, nation, before it’s too late.
Flashback: UK installing license plate scanning network | Police laud Toronto surveillance cameras, critics not so sure | Plan to add Toronto red-light cameras on hold | Red light cameras not going up fast enough for Toronto budget | NYC Residents Furious over Invasive Surveillance Grid | Security officials to scan D.C. area license plates | West Virginia: Bill Turns Traffic Cameras into Spy Cameras | Ontario cities can install red-light cameras
Canadian Press
December 3, 2009
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| A police cruiser outfitted with license plate recognition devices on its roof. |
Ontario Provincial Police have unveiled a new tool to track down vehicles that are not supposed to be on the highways.
A special camera will be mounted on some cruisers to scan up to 7,000 licence plates each day. The camera can scan plates that enter its field of view whether the vehicle is parked or moving, even at high speed.
Once the image is captured, it is checked against databases for stolen vehicles and plates that are suspended, stolen or expired.
“This sends an important message to drivers who are in violation of Criminal Code and Highway Traffic Act laws, that they will now be significantly more visible and vulnerable to being identified by our officers,” stated OPP Chief Supt. Bill Grodzinski.
The provincial force estimates there are five to seven million Ontario plates suspected of being in poor standing.
Three cruisers will be equipped with the cameras at first, in the Toronto area, eastern Ontario and in northern Ontario.
“This will be an effective crime fighting tool that will further increase our visibility in traffic enforcement [and] improve compliance on our roads and highways,” said Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino.
Source |Alternate Coverage | See Also under Cameras: US citizens fight back against traffic cameras | More police security cameras approved for Toronto | Precrime: Artificially Intelligent CCTV could prevent crimes before they happen | EU Plans Massive Surveillance Panopticon That Would Monitor “Abnormal Behavior” | In UK, 1,000 cameras ’solve one crime’ | Quebec’s photo radar starts ticketing | Britain To Put CCTV Cameras Inside Private Homes | Sarnia resident plans ‘moon’ protest of US border spy balloon | UK: Woman detained for filming police search launches high court challenge | US: Town on SF Bay wants to photograph every car | Volunteer snitches man cameras in Lancaster, PA. | UK Schoolkids Protest CCTV, Hidden Microphones in Class | UK installing license plate scanning network | Toronto police board challenges chief on CCTV deterrence, demands ‘phase-in’ | UK: Retaining images from surveillance of protesters ruled illegal | Police laud Toronto surveillance cameras, critics not so sure | Criminologists: CCTV schemes in city and town centres have little effect on crime | Winnipeg police confiscate documentary filmmaker’s camera | Guardian reporter detained for taking picture of sea near Bilderberg conference | Australian nightclub installs face-scanning security system | Police seizures of cameras prompts B.C. complaint | NYPD seeks to expand anti-terror program to midtown | Police erased cellphone video of fatal shooting, witness alleges | Pre-Olympic transit ads encourage citizen surveillance | UK: Calling the police to account for anti-photography law | UK: Landlord fights police plan for CCTV at pub | Plan to add Toronto red-light cameras on hold | Security cameras proposed for downtown Sydney | UK House of Lords warns over ’surveillance state’ | UK Terror Law To Make Photographing Police Illegal | Let’s face it, soon Big Brother will have no trouble recognising you | Military challenge: Make spy data more accessible | UK: Big Brother CCTV to spy on pupils aged four – complete with CPS evidence kit | Toronto surveillance project to enter new phase pending review | Australian Citizen Journalist Charged for Filming Police under Anti-Terror Law | Social services set up CCTV camera in couple’s bedroom | New surveillance program will turn military satellites on US | Red light cameras not going up fast enough for Toronto budget | NYC Residents Furious over Invasive Surveillance Grid | Security officials to scan D.C. area license plates | CCTV cameras spying on hundreds of classrooms | CCTV doesn’t keep us safe | Hats banned from Yorkshire pubs over CCTV fears | Billboards that look back | Tanks, Face-Scanning Cameras Part of ‘Discreet’ 2010 Games Security | $4 Million Earmarked for Cameras, “Respect” at Toronto Schools | Vancouver Olympics security cameras raise privacy concerns | CBC Radio Broadcasts Expose of North American Police State | Surveillance cameras to keep an eye on downtown Calgary | Privacy International responds to Ontario Privacy Commissioner ruling on CCTV | School removes CCTV cameras from children’s toilets after furious protest from parents | West Virginia: Bill Turns Traffic Cameras into Spy Cameras | When Surveillance Cameras Talk | Charges laid after Winnipeg street blocked off for hours | Ottawa police chief calls for more surveillance cameras | T.T.C. Starts Camera Installation On Buses & Streetcars | Toronto police seek feedback on installing security cameras | Premier Thinks Yonge St. Cameras Should Stay, John Tory Wants Them In Ent. District | Cameras To Be Installed Downtown For Holiday Shopping Season | Ontario cities can install red-light cameras
December 5th, 2009 at 8:08 am
We should get a group of volunteers and watch the watchers. Track where the car is and post it on the web.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
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