diff --git a/src/openalpr/support/filesystem.cpp b/src/openalpr/support/filesystem.cpp
index 4757d5f..957750b 100644
--- a/src/openalpr/support/filesystem.cpp
+++ b/src/openalpr/support/filesystem.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 #include "filesystem.h"
 
+bool startsWith(std::string const &fullString, std::string const &prefix)
+{
+  if(fullString.substr(0, prefix.size()) == prefix) {
+      return true;
+  }  
+  
+  return false;
+}
+
 bool hasEnding (std::string const &fullString, std::string const &ending)
 {
   if (fullString.length() >= ending.length())
diff --git a/src/openalpr/support/filesystem.h b/src/openalpr/support/filesystem.h
index e519956..e0d1372 100644
--- a/src/openalpr/support/filesystem.h
+++ b/src/openalpr/support/filesystem.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <vector>
 
+bool startsWith(std::string const &fullString, std::string const &prefix);
 bool hasEnding (std::string const &fullString, std::string const &ending);
 bool DirectoryExists( const char* pzPath );
 bool fileExists( const char* pzPath );