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Board debates removing Flock camera signs; decides to keep them for now
Summary
Police asked the board to remove bright Flock camera identification signs because they have attracted vandalism elsewhere; trustees weighed deterrence vs. drawing attention and ultimately opted to leave the signs in place.
Village police asked trustees to consider removing bright Flock camera identification signs after staff reported examples of vandalism to ALPR cameras in other communities. The chief said removing the signs would not affect camera functionality but could reduce attention-drawing vandalism and repair costs.
"We're not making this up," the chief said, describing all-points bulletins and examples of cameras being cut down, spray-painted or struck. He warned that replacing damaged cameras would fall to the village. Several trustees said they value the transparency portal and signage as deterrence; Trustee Luke said, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," while others favored removal to reduce the risk of targeted damage. The board discussed Flock's alternative to cover camera damage for a fee ($500 per camera per year) but, after hearing both sides, the majority opted to keep the signs in place at this time.
Trustees asked staff to monitor vandalism and noted that the village posts a map of camera locations on its website. The board did not adopt a formal policy change at the meeting; the matter was discussed and the consensus was to leave signage unchanged for now.
