Steps being taken to introduce ANPR cameras at Island's ports

Government is taking steps to introduce automated number plate recognition software on the Island.

In the UK, ANPR cameras scan a vehicle's registration number and check it against a database of 'vehicles of interest'.

The technology has been praised by law enforcement agencies as an important tool in finding and stopping criminal offenders.

Now, the Department of Home Affairs wants to introduce it here.

Step one will see the Isle of Man Constabulary given access to the UK's ANPR database.

This will start next month and allow police to manually search for vehicles on the UK system and set alerts.

The cost of accessing that system is around £32k per year.

Step two, meanwhile, will see ANPR cameras introduced at sea ports that are connected to the UK database.

It's hoped that will start in May with cameras scanning vehicles as they leave and arrive - any existing alerts on the system will be immediately flagged.

'Securing Our Island'

The ANPR proposal is just one of the measures being considered within the Department of Home Affair's 'Securing Our Island' strategy.

Other measures include passenger verification at the Island's ports, scanning and monitoring inbound and outbound post, and transferring the responsibility for policing the Island's ports from the Department of Infrastructure to the police.

Introducing the strategy in September 2024, the DHA says the Isle of Man faces a range of threats from criminals who seek to exploit our open borders and our position within the Common Travel Area.

You can find the document here.

Acknowledging concerns around privacy, government says: 'ANPR is designed to capture details of a vehicle, although the image of those in the vehicle at the time may also be captured. 

'Legislation and practical requirements around data protection apply.'

Other uses for ANPR include parking management, toll collection, and fleet management, among other applications. 

However, government says the use by the police is not for this purpose.

You can find more information about government's ANPR plans here.

In order for ANPR to be properly introduced to the Isle of Man there are two statutory documents required; draft order and regulations.

The Regulations allow ANPR to be used, and the Order introduces a Code of Practice that sets out how law enforcement officers here must use the system.

There are other supporting guides, assessments and contracts to be completed before it's introduced, the DHA says.

It's intended that those documents will be submitted to Tynwald for a sitting in Spring 2025, before coming into effect.