'Flock' Cameras Help Solve Crimes In Hemet: Police

HEMET, CA — Nearly two dozen mini-cameras situated at intersections and other locations throughout Hemet are proving to be pivotal in helping solve crimes, mostly involving stolen vehicles, police said Monday.

In June, the city partnered with Atlanta-based Flock Safety, acquiring 20 of the company's license plate reader cameras that were then strategically installed at a variety of locations.

"Since the Flock cameras went live on June 8th, the Hemet Police Department has been able to safely recover 132 stolen vehicles and make 119 arrests associated with those cases," Officer Cheyne Nicot said. "The department reached a benchmark, with the total recovery value of the vehicles amounting to approximately $1.15 million."

The cameras additionally have been used to identify armed robbery suspects, carjackers and other offenders, culminating in arrests, Nicot said.

"When a stolen car, wanted vehicle or missing person vehicle drives by one of these cameras, every Hemet PD officer in the field receives an instant notification and a description, usually within seconds," he said. "These cameras have been a direct success in fighting against crime."

He emphasized, however, that they "are not used for traffic enforcement, and there is no facial recognition technology."

The Flock devices, which cost $2,000 each, have also been employed in the cities of Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco, according to the company.

The Hemet City Council tapped Measure U public safety funds to purchase the cameras, which are being serviced under a two-year agreement with Flock Safety, according to Nicot.