License Plate Reader Cameras Approved In Romeoville

Romeoville IL

06 August, 2021

3:20 PM

Description

ROMEOVILLE, IL — The Romeoville Village Board approved the purchase of 10 license plate reader cameras from Flock Safety at its Wednesday meeting. Flock Safety is the largest license plate reader vendor in Illinois, Police Chief Ken Kroll said during Wednesday's workshop meeting. "Many of our surrounding communities are using Flock technology," he said, including the Will County Sheriff's Office, Crest Hill, Joliet and Bolingbrook. The cameras see the traffic artery and records license plates, vehicle type, make, model, color and damage to the vehicle, Kroll said. If a car that passes through an intersection where the camera is has been reported stolen or is a reported vehicle used in a significant crime, then the system sends a notification to police. The initial start-up cost of the system is $27,500, which is going to be offset from a $20,000 check from the department's partnership with the Will County crime task force. Annual subscription price is $25,000. "The concept is recording our major traffic arteries in town," Kroll said. "It is not a red light camera system, it is not 'Big Brother,' it doesn't auto generate any enforcement, fines, fees, anything like that." The system also allows police to share data between neighboring communities using the system, Kroll said. "There's no way that we could've built our own in-house system...that is this robust for $25,000 a year," he said. Mayor John Noak said the Village is fortunate to have a "fantastic police department that does a great job." "But we are a major juncture of not only our county, but really all of Illinois, and all of the Midwest, if not the entire country," he said, adding that the system will give better resources to the police. "This is just another great thing that the police department is doing," Noak said. The Romeoville Village Board unanimously approved the system and waived the bid process. For more news and information like this, subscribe to the Romeoville Patch for free. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. Don't forget to like us on Facebook!