Friday 12th November 2004

Police spies rely on very dodgy data

DVLA data only 40 per cent accurate for number plate cameras

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Following last week's story about the police and the DVLA's number plate-checking experiment, it turns out that the driving authority's data is only around 40 per cent accurate. The information came to light in a report into the year-long trial, which occupied 23 police forces using new automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology.

The plan is to detect crims by cross-checking the identity of the driver against the DVLA and police databases.

The report, commissioned by Home Office and carried out by PA Consulting, found that the quality of the data worsened as the trial progressed. Apparently, the police had to resort checking on tax discs visually rather than relying on DVLA data because of "decreased confidence in using the DVLA databases as the primary means of stop".

The report went on, "The DVLA databases in particular were shown to be poor. As yet, there are no Criminal Justice Extranet facilities for the electronic transfer of updated information to forces on a daily basis and this is a further limitation on database accuracy. Further, there is a lack of rigorous understanding as to the precise causes of data inaccuracies. As data is key to ANPR, we conclude that this represents a weakness that should be addressed."

Recommendations made by the report into ways of improving accuracy include more linking of police and MOT databases and a "vehicle intelligence data warehouse " -- although this sounds a lot like a duplication of what the DVLA is supposed to do now.

"This data warehouse should also hold ANPR reads and hits, which are themselves a vital source of vehicle intelligence and should be accompanied by the development of data mining tools of a more sophisticated nature," the report went on.

However, a DVLA spokeswoman claimed that, since the report appeared, accuracy has improved massively to some 92 per cent.

For those keen on retaining some privacy, the report points out the technical difficulties of making databases talk to each other, and that funding of the project remains an issue.

Last week's PH story is here: www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=9392

[havoc]

So the much-vaunted and "scare the criminals into going straight" DVLA database is a waste of space???

Are you surprised?

And as for that remaining 8% (if it IS that low?) - who wants to bet against that 8% being the 8% the police should be looking out for???

So in other words, the police know where all the law-abiding citizens are, but can't tell where the criminals are.

FANTASTIC use of taxpayers money there!

[Rob_the_Sparky]

Me ponders... 40% to 92% accuracy????

[robc]

DVLA database works for road tax, renewed mine online the other day and it tootled off to check my bike was insured . Anything to stop uninsured scum on the roads has to be a good think imho.

[White_Van_Man]

robc said:

DVLA database works for road tax

i got ANPR'd a while and it came up that i had no tax, after a quick chat to the police man i pointed him in the direction of my tax disc which after about 3 bibs had insected it he let me go because it had atleast 6 months to go on it!!!!

[kevinday]

What a typical clusterf**k!

One database containing all the information, updated online and hey presto no problems caused by 'systems incompatability'.

It's not really rocket science is it?

[james_j]

robc said:

DVLA database works for road tax, renewed mine online the other day and it tootled off to check my bike was insured . Anything to stop uninsured scum on the roads has to be a good think imho.

...but as you can see, it doesn't work on the intended targets. Or are they the intended target?

Maybe it's yet another way of ensuring that Mr, Miss and Mrs Average toe the line so forget the rest, because to catch them is too much effort.

[john_p]

Let me guess, Crapita