Chief Parrish: Flock Safety camera

are already paying dividends locally

W. Curt Vincent | Bladen Journal

Elizabethtown Police Chief Tony Parrish explains how the nine Flock Safety cameras around town will be able to assist law enforcement with reducing crime.

Chief Parrish: Flock Safety camera

are already paying dividends locally

ELIZABETHTOWN — Criminals coming into Elizabethtown are being put on notice: Don’t come here, because you will be caught. On camera, then by law enforcement.

That was the message from Elizabethtown Police Chief Tony Parrish on Thursday morning.

He gave area media members, town and county representatives, as well as a few residents a presentation about a recent partnership between the town and Flock Safety for the installation of nine Automated License Plate Reading Cameras. Those cameras have been getting installed over the past two months and are now functional.

“What we have found during our investigations is that 70% of crimes involve a vehicle,” Parrish said. “We weren’t always getting good information from video cameras, so I contacted Flock Safety and, when the rep gave me a demonstration, I was sold.

“Now, there’s no way anyone can get into Elizabethtown without passing at least one of those cameras,” Parrish added. “The cameras are located at every entry point to the town and at the industrial park entrance.“

He emphasized that the cameras cannot detect speed, so they will not be used to find speed violators or any other moving violations. Parris said the cameras are strictly to be used for tracking vehicles known to be involved with such crimes as abductions, stolen vehicles, stolen license plates, burglaries, break-ins, those wanted for outstanding warrants, etc.

The cameras are motion-activated, work 24/7 and are solar-powered.

“So now, I have nine more sets of eyes that work nonstop,” Parrish said. “And they don’t complain about the weather or anything.”

He went on to say that the town is saving a tremendous amount of money by using the cameras. The cost to hire one police officer, including benefits, is about $51,680 per year — the nine cameras cost $24,700. But for the first year, at least, the cameras won’t cost the town anything.

“The cost to bring these cameras here was paid for by donations from a number of town leaders from Bladen Builders Supply, Campbell Oil Co., Cape Fear Distillery, Delton, Hilton Auction & Realty, Hilton Companies, Lacy West-Thomas Insurance, Rust Enterprises (McDonald’s), Specialty Product Technologies, Eddie White State Farm Insurance and Walmart,” he said.

Parrish said he signed a two-year contract with Flock Safety.

Each of the cameras use a “vehicle fingerprint technology” that picks up on specific details — such as color, alterations, style, bumper stickers, roof rack, brush guard, damage, partial license plate digits, etc.

“The program will pick up on any one or more of those details if a vehicle goes past that matches our search,” Parrish said. “And if any agency has listed a known vehicle that was used in a crime, the program will automatically alert us if that vehicle is within our jurisdiction.

“On top of that, if a known vehicle was used in a crime here and is now on its way someplace else, like Florida, this program can track that vehicle along the way,” he added. “We are able to access other jurisdiction’s cameras and officers are given real-time information.”

But when a vehicle is located in Elizabethtown, law enforcement can get to work.

“The officer still has to do the work, but this gives us a better place to start,” Parrish said.

The cameras are being used in more than 1,400 cities and towns across 40 states — including in Fairmont and Pembroke.

In just the handful of weeks the cameras have been installed and operating, Parrish said there have already been positive results.

He pointed to a number of instances that included finding a missing person; an individual wanted for second-degree rape; finding three stolen license tags; finding a stolen vehicle that contained weapons and drugs; and more.

“On Wednesday, we were alerted about a stolen ATM card and we found out that there had been some charges on it at area businesses,” Parris said. “A store video showed the car, so we put the information into the Flock Safety program and got an alert.

“That resulted in a larceny arrest,” he added.

Parrish said he is excited about how the Flock Safety cameras will make Elizabethtown a much-safer place.

“I’m thrilled with the results so far, and so are my officers and anyone I’ve talked with about it,” he said. “I think once the public finds out how the cameras are used, I think they will be pleased.”

W. Curt Vincent can be reached at 910-862-4163 or cvincent@bladenjournal.com.

Call: 910-862-4163 Mail: 207 E. Broad St. Elizabethtown, NC 28337