The cameras, known as Flock Safety Cameras, have been a “force multiplier” for the Prosper police department by keeping an eye on the town’s major roadways 24/7, Prosper Police Chief Doug Kowalski said.
Since being deployed it has alerted police of 9,354 vehicles that could have been stolen or belonging to someone suspected of a crime.
“It never gets tired, it doesn't need a break, doesn't go to lunch,” he said. “It's always running.”
How it works
The cameras are placed at 45 strategic locations including major shopping centers, intersections and the town’s main entrances and exits.
The cameras themselves are solar and battery-powered, according to Flock Safety’s website. They do not track a vehicle’s speed or who is driving it, and are not used in traffic enforcement, just the license plate and car itself.
That information is then recorded and instantly flagged if it matches a description of a car used in a recent crime such as vehicle theft or as a getaway after a robbery, Kowalski said.
The camera network also keeps a constant eye out for cars reported in Amber Alerts or cars belonging to someone with a warrant out for their arrest.
“Citizens that are going about their normal business probably shouldn't worry about [the cameras] at all,” Kowalski said.
Police officers have about a month to use the nearly 7.9 million camera scans. Any unused recordings and photos of license plates are removed after 30 days, Kowalski said.
The Flock Safety Cameras only photograph license plates and can give some directional information as a car enters or exits Prosper. The program works alongside the town’s Condor System, a network of six live-feed security cameras, and Criminal Apprehension Through Community Help (CATCH) program, which allows residents to register their personal security cameras to the Flock system.
“It's an early warning system about criminals and criminal activity coming into our town,” Kowalski said.
Having dozens of cameras around the town replaces what would need to be dozens of police cars stationed in the same areas for the same job, Kowalski said.
Zooming out
The system can shave days off of a typical police investigation, but its uses go beyond that, Kowalski said. Being able to compare license plates during a traffic stop can help an officer know if the person they pulled over for speeding is considered armed and dangerous, he said.
Flock Safety Cameras are used in multiple North Texas cities like Fort Worth and Arlington, letting Prosper partner with nearby police departments when looking for suspects in recent crimes. Kowalski said since the town began using the cameras, roughly 22% of the crimes it has helped catch involved Prosper residents, with the rest flagging cars used in crimes from other communities.
Prosper’s police were able to locate a Prosper business’ stolen vehicle after the camera system flagged driving along US 380 in late August, according to a news release from Flock Safety.
“We have a lot of pass-through traffic and destination traffic,” he said. “This is just a good way for us to monitor it and follow up if something's happened.”
Going forward
Kowalski said he expects additional cameras to be placed around town to keep up with the growth.
“We will continue making sure that all of the roads are covered,” he said.
The department is also considering implementing a drone program and system to alert first responders to what is happening before they get to the emergency, he said.
“It's data-driven and intelligence-based policing,” Kowalski said. “Technology is the key, particularly in the rapidly growing community, to keep up with the demand from the public.”
