Rekor Systems Inc. announced that the Rotterdam (NY) Police Department has entered into a subscription agreement to use the company's Watchman vehicle recognition software for an initial order of five licenses to be installed on existing traffic and surveillance cameras. The company says the software enables these existing cameras to serve as a powerful vehicle recognition system.

"By deploying our software within their existing camera infrastructure, our customers can markedly enhance the functionality of their existing traffic and surveillance cameras by adding the most powerful vehicle recognition system in the world," said Rod Hillman, COO, Rekor Systems. "What's more, it's all done without sacrificing any of the traffic or surveillance functionality of the existing system or the need to purchase new, expensive hardware."

As a part of its subscription, and at no additional cost, the Rotterdam Police Department will be joining the Rekor Public Safety Network (RPSN). Any state or local law enforcement agency participating in the RPSN will be able to access real-time data from any part of the network at no cost. The company is initially launching the network by aggregating vehicle data from customers in over 30 states. With thousands of automatic license plate reading cameras currently in service that capture approximately 30 million plate reads per week, the network is expected to be live by the first quarter of 2020.

Rekor says rather than buying expensive new cameras that take weeks or months to ship and install, Rekor's software can be deployed to support existing traffic or surveillance cameras immediately. The company says it eliminates the need for two separate cameras—one for vehicle recognition functionality, one for general surveillance recording—as Rekor's solution can be used to collect license plate data and information such as the make, type and color of a vehicle using the same camera that provides surveillance monitoring. According to Rekor, this can represent a savings of tens of thousands of dollars per camera, as well as greater flexibility to expand or decrease usage as needed without large capital expenditures on hardware.

"We are pleased our subscription will allow us to integrate cutting-edge technologies into our department, as ensuring the safety of the public remains our top priority. Having the opportunity to join our law enforcement partners in the Rekor Public Safety Network expands our ability to prevent and solve crime. In searching for an advanced vehicle recognition solution, we chose to be a part of a law enforcement network that exists purely to prevent and solve crimes," said Lt. Jeffrey Collins of the Rotterdam Police Department. "We look forward to working with Rekor to create a safer community in New York State."

To learn more about Rekor's vehicle recognition software, visit https://rekorsystems.com/markets/law-enforcement/.