PlateSmart has partnered with video management software (VMS) platform provider Milestone Systems since 2016. Recently, the two organizations enhanced their relationship when PlateSmart earned Milestone Gold Partner classification.

The PlateSmart ARES^? automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) solution, which is camera-agnostic and software-only, integrates seamlessly with the Milestone XProtect^? VMS. This allows ARES to trigger actions within XProtect, such as alerts, emails ? even physical alarms.

?As a Milestone Gold Partner, PlateSmart?s integrated solution has been verified in its design, installation and configuration,? said Mike Budz, director of sales, PlateSmart. ?With this relationship, PlateSmart and Milestone will be able to work even more closely together to deliver complete and customized security solutions.?

?If ARES detects a vehicle that the user has placed on a ?hot list,? meaning it?s not supposed to be on the property, it can trigger any number of actions in XProtect,? Budz said. ?For instance, an alarm might sound in a security office, or a red light might be activated so that a security officer can talk to the driver before allowing the vehicle to enter.?

Budz explained that a hot list could contain license plates associated with former employees, troublesome patrons or known thieves. For educational institutions, it might reference vehicles driven by suspended or expelled students. When integrated with Milestone XProtect across multiple locations, such as retail outlets, the ALPR can even be used to combat organized crime.

?If a vehicle on a hot list is detected on one property, an alert can go out to other locations so they can be on the lookout for that vehicle,? Budz said. ?They can even notify local law enforcement so they can be ready to make an arrest.?

Speaking of which, law enforcement can enhance their investigative efforts via PlateSmart and Milestone. When used as part of city-wide surveillance, local law enforcement agencies can create their own hot lists of vehicles associated with recent crimes, outstanding warrants, AMBER Alerts, BOLOs, etc. When alerted of a hit, police can be dispatched to the area in which the vehicle was seen.

?The addition of PlateSmart as a Gold Partner in the Milestone Technology Partner Program enables alignment on go-to-market activities and other strategic initiatives,? said Jeremy Scott, strategic alliances program manager, Americas, at Milestone Systems. ?Being a Gold Partner shows PlateSmart?s commitment to collaboration and the Milestone innovation community, supported by PlateSmart?s verified video analytics integration to Milestone XProtect VMS.?

Unlike some competitive ALPR solutions, PlateSmart never has access to the license plate data. It is owned by the end user and subject to their usage and retention policies as well as local, state and federal laws.

PlateSmart Technologies has developed the world?s first software-only vehicle identification and video analytic solutions, which are compatible with both state-of-the-art and legacy cameras. PlateSmart offers both mobile and fixed-location solutions, which are designed either to function as stand-alone tools or to integrate with third-party software and hardware.