There’s a reason local news stories these days often cover the acquisition of license plate recognition cameras—like this one out of Manatee County, Florida or this one in Laurie, Missouri—and that’s because this specific purchase is an absolute game-changer for anyone living and working in that area.

Ask any agency how they were able to afford their ALPR technology, and chances are they'll say through grant funds. So every so often here on the blog, we’ll bring you the latest list of available grants by state and their upcoming deadlines. Click through for details—and if you ever have any questions for our team at Leonardo on affordability or our ELSAG ALPR systems, never hesitate to reach out.

There’s no question that investing in an Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) system is one of the smartest moves you can make to transform the daily operations of your law enforcement agency. Between helping your team recover stolen vehicles and license plates, securing large public venues, making school zones safer, and more efficiently tracking down criminals, the virtually limitless benefits completely outweigh the cost. But like with any major purchase, you no doubt want to review your options—and here at Leonardo, we understand our ELSAG ALPR system isn't the only one in the business.

You have no doubt heard a lot about data in the news recently. Between massive data breaches, corporate accounts being hacked and cyber attacks, it is easy to see why people are concerned about just how their data is stored and who has access to it. 

At Leonardo, we value our customer's trust and are committed to protecting their interests. Our license plate recognition cameras and solutions collect data that enable you to reduce crime in your communities, provide evidence in investigations, alert you to speed violators and assist in locating missing persons and stolen property.

So, with all of that data being collected, how do you know it is safe?

Here are three things you should know if you currently use license plate readers or are thinking about using them in the future:

By Kay Dimanche, KOAT7 ABC

School's out for the summer but school zone safety is always a top concern for law enforcement, civic leaders and, perhaps to the greatest extent, parents and students. Beyond the crimes that can occur within school buildings, there is a need to keep the surrounding areas safe as well.

After years of research and development, we are proud to announce the release of two innovative technology solutions: the ELSAG Make,Type and Color Recognition software (MTC) and the ELSAG Cloud Storage Solution (ECSS).  

Both products are now available to ELSAG ALPR users.

 A deputy in Boone County Missouri was involved in a serious accident in December which caused his patrol car to roll several times. Thankfully, the deputy and the other driver were unhurt, according to David Alexander, operations analyst for the Boone County Sheriff's Office. 

Alexander was also surprised to find that the three ALPR cameras affixed to the roof of the patrol car were still fully functional after the wreck and will be reinstalled onto another vehicle this spring. 

An Arizona man who had been reported missing and endangered in Phoenix, Arizona, was located and rescued in Freeport, New York, last week thanks to the town’s fixed automatic license plate reader (ALPR) system.

As reported by Newsday.com, the man drove past part of the system that circles the village. The system alerted police that the man was reported missing and may be in need of assistance. Officer Robert Salisbury was able to locate the driver and get him the medical attention he needed.

A mobile license plate reading system that the Salisbury Township (Pa.) Police Department implemented last year has generated “incredible law enforcement dividends and helped make driving safer for those who travel Salisbury Township roads and highways.”