Abstract: A system and method for conducting traffic surveillance at a deployable checkpoint lane. At least one license plate reader is positioned adjacent to the checkpoint lane, in a predetermined location relative to a license plate reading zone, for acquiring and interpreting images of a license plate on a vehicle transiting through the license plate reading zone. At least one video camera is positioned adjacent to the checkpoint lane for capturing images of the vehicle transiting through the license plate reading zone. A trigger device is positioned adjacent to the checkpoint lane for initiating the capture of video images of the vehicle. A field control unit including a processor and a data store, and cooperative with each digital and video camera, compares images of the license plate on the vehicle and determines which license plate characters and vehicle images to store in a vehicle record to be transmitted to an external database for processing and analysis.

Abstract: A surveillance system for covertly monitoring vehicle license plates. A portable covert license plate reader is provided for automatically reading license plate images for each of a plurality of moving vehicles that pass through a field of view of a camera in the reader without detection by the moving vehicles. A mobile surveillance unit is located in proximity to the license plate reader for receiving license plate character strings extracted by the reader, comparing each received image with a list of target plates of interest to law enforcement, and generating an audible alarm and a visual display when a match is found. An operations center is also provided for communicating with the mobile surveillance unit to receive license plate data from the mobile surveillance unit and to provide updates to the list of target plates stored at the mobile surveillance unit.