Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Surveillance Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Burr Ridge staff recommends switching subdivision cameras to leased Flock LPR system; board signals consensus to proceed
Summary
Staff recommended replacing passive subdivision cameras with a leased Flock license-plate recognition system that provides cloud storage, vendor maintenance and real-time alerts. Estimated net annual cost to the village: $115,000–$135,000 if HOAs share 50/50. Staff will return with a refined plan in July.
Village staff presented a proposal to phase out existing passive subdivision entrance cameras and build a single, village-operated network of leased Flock license-plate recognition (LPR) cameras for arterial and subdivision coverage.
Evan said the village currently operates 17 subdivision cameras on a cost-sharing basis and that those devices are often out of service for undetected periods; he recommended moving to Flock because the vendor leases equipment, hosts footage in the cloud, provides guaranteed maintenance and offers real-time alerts to law enforcement.
Staff estimates call for roughly 10–15 additional cameras for arterial coverage and about 35 cameras to replace all existing subdivision cameras, with each leased camera costing roughly $3,900 per year. Evan presented a gross annual cost of about $190,000 and estimated a net village cost of $115,000–$135,000 per year if participating subdivisions agree to a 50/50 annual cost-share. He told trustees that interest on an unexpected $4 million sales-tax receipt received in June could cover the program—s annual cost if the board chose to apply that interest.
The police chief supported leasing over ownership, saying the Flock model reduces downtime because the vendor replaces or repairs equipment quickly and provides real-time in-vehicle alerts that help track vehicles across jurisdictions. "Leasing flock cameras ... would make Burr Ridge safer," the chief said, citing recent recoveries and quicker investigations tied to LPR alerts in neighboring jurisdictions.
Trustees and several attendees questioned equity for subdivisions that have already paid for cameras, opt-out options, where cameras would be sited relative to subdivisions and whether non-HOA beneficiaries (businesses, condos) should contribute. Mary Bradley (a resident) said the installation was controversial in her neighborhood when first adopted and asked how quickly the village would pursue replacement. Evan said staff will return with more detailed outreach, cost estimates tailored to subdivisions and a refined implementation plan for a July meeting.
What happens next: staff will conduct outreach to HOAs, refine per-subdivision cost estimates and return to the board in July with a more detailed action item for consideration; no final procurement or budget appropriation was approved at this meeting.
