Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bel Air police report rising traffic enforcement and use of Flock cameras and drones
Summary
Interim Chief Shane O'Sullivan reported a rise in traffic stops after council investments, described daily use of Flock cameras to track suspects, and said drones are being used as first responders to locate suspects and make approaches safer for officers.
Interim Chief Shane O’Sullivan told council the department has increased traffic enforcement and is making regular operational use of automated camera systems and drones.
O’Sullivan said traffic stops have risen since council invested in a traffic unit; he also described routine success using Flock automated license‑plate readers to locate suspects and vehicles and said the department deploys a drone regularly as a first‑responder tool. "We use [the Flock cameras] daily," he said; speaking about the drone he added, "it makes it easier to respond and it's... safer on approach because we already knew where he was."
Council members asked whether the new technology and enforcement have changed crash or call patterns; the chief said crashes were roughly stable compared with prior years and that deployment decisions remain call‑driven and resource dependent. He noted that long‑term strategy and partnerships will be shaped by the incoming police chief but said the tools have been "force multipliers" for the department.
The council and staff discussed public outreach and the police‑chief selection process; staff also posted candidate materials online to allow community review. No policy changes on technology or enforcement were approved at the meeting; the chief characterized continued review and community engagement as part of the selection and policy process.
