Recently, in the Wednesday Journal, there was a story titled, “With immigration concerns, Flock cameras’ future in Oak Park debated” [News, July 30]. After reading the article, it seemed that Oak Park is on the verge of either eliminating the Flock cameras or significantly reducing the Oak Park Police Department’s ability to utilize the camera, which would have the same effect as eliminating them.
I have been a longtime supporter of street cameras. When I was police chief in Riverside, we put in the first street camera program in the village’s history. As you can imagine, this was not without debate. We went with a system at that time called Griffin Systems Inc.; the River Forest police used the same system. It was my job as chief to convince our village president, board of trustees, and the residents that these cameras were a worthwhile investment. I would be judicious in using them, and we would have solid policies and procedures. I did just that.
You can trace my support for street cameras back to 2015, when I wrote a letter to the Illinois legislators in Springfield, expressing my concerns that the state may eliminate the use of these cameras statewide. Fortunately, they did not.
On the very first day that Riverside installed our cameras, we arrested a hit-and-run driver who had been involved in an accident at Harlem and Quincy avenues, in which a pedestrian was struck. Within two hours, we had the offending vehicle and offender in custody.
I want to inform the Oak Park leadership that eliminating the Flock cameras is not the right move. The debate surrounding immigration is not relevant here. In Mount Prospect and other places, police were asked to check their camera systems for legitimate criminal activity or missing persons with immigration status. The goal was not to target immigrants specifically; it was to locate missing individuals, sometimes victims of sex trafficking, or to identify offenders of violent crimes who happened to be in the country illegally. The only way to prevent misuse is to have a clear policy that prohibits targeting immigration violations or using camera systems for unlawful purposes in Illinois.
You probably already know that Flock cameras are closed-circuit TV cameras installed initially in various locations across municipalities. Now they can also be mounted on squad cars. Communities that regularly use Flock camera systems include Berwyn, Burr Ridge, Cicero, and Hinsdale, among others. Recently, North Riverside added Flock cameras. These cameras have been installed in more than 1,400 cities nationwide. The system operates because the cameras, whether mounted on a post or squad cars, are activated every time the vehicle moves. Fixed cameras are constantly recording, capturing license plates and vehicle details. Flock cameras do not record drivers’ physical information.
Instead, they connect to databases like the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS) in Illinois and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Usually, Flock cameras flag stolen vehicles, vehicles wanted for felony crimes, or vehicles registered to individuals wanted for violent offenses. The system uses a searchable vehicle fingerprint — an algorithm that gathers data like make, model, color, license plate, and vehicle status.
It also records features such as colored or missing plates, roof racks, or bumper stickers. Importantly, it does not collect driver information or photos. This algorithm is handy for police searching for suspects in unsolved serious crimes when vehicle descriptions are vague. Many violent felony cases have been solved using this technology and Flock cameras.
Of course, privacy concerns are always present. The Supreme Court has stated that these camera systems are legal as long as they are directed in a public manner and record incidents occurring in public spaces. This does not diminish the fact that many people dislike cameras for privacy reasons.
My approach to advising the Oak Park elected officials on allowing the police department to keep and use Flock cameras would be as follows: the police chief should be asked to present the program openly to the elected officials at a public board meeting, detailing the policies to be implemented. Solid policies and procedures must be established and approved by the local government in Oak Park. The community and elected officials should be involved at every step of policy development. Once policies are developed, they should be shared with the officials and the community, discussed during roll call with officers, and adequately enforced.
Additionally, you should review your policies and procedures with legal counsel. It’s also advisable to create an outside law enforcement agency request form for your municipality. Develop a separate policy governing the release of videos to outside agencies, specifying the circumstances under which videos can be shared. The agency should submit a formal request for each video. Still, it’s essential to provide the videos to the requesting agency promptly, given the critical time constraints for solving or preventing violent crimes in other communities.
I firmly believe that having a clear policy and direction will garner community support. Conversely, any officer caught violating the rules or guidelines when using a Flock camera or any other system should be dismissed.
For sure, many arrests nationwide, including in Oak Park, would never have been possible without a Flock-type camera system. I urge the Oak Park Village Board, citizens of Oak Park, and Wednesday Journal to support the proper use of Flock cameras in Oak Park.
Tom Weitzel grew up in Oak Park. He retired from the Riverside Police Department in May 2021, after 37 years in law enforcement, including 13 years as chief of police. Opinions are his own.
