Acting Flossmoor Police Chief Keith Taylor sent Village Manager Bridget Wachtel a memo urging the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways approve permits to continue the placement of license plate reader cameras (LPR).
The memo states that the police want to install cameras at the intersections of Vollmer Road and Kedzie Avenue and at Flossmoor Road and Crawford Avenue.
The owners of the private property near the intersections already have signed memoranda of understanding (MOU) allowing them to place the cameras on their properties.
Cameras on these properties could further help police in ongoing investigations, police said.
Taylor restates in the memo the importance of the LPR cameras, mentioning the police department’s success in identifying and tracking vehicles in the commission of crimes and possible suspects of the crimes.
The Flossmoor Board of Trustees first approved the use of cameras in February 2024 voting to work with Flock Safety to install cameras in 11 locations around Flossmoor following the recommendation of then Police Chief Jerel Jones.
The process began with two cameras being installed March 27 at Flossmoor Road at Sterling Avenue and at Flossmoor Road at Dixie Highway; another was installed at Sterling Avenue and Heather Road on April 1.
The memo was a part of the agenda for the Flossmoor Board of Trustees meeting Jan. 6, but was not addressed during the meeting.
Village Trustee Rosalind Mustafa took the time to thank the property owners Garth Edwards and Jannette Edwards, and Ryan Leaf.
“I wanted to thank Dr. and Mrs. Edwards and Mr. Leaf, who’ve agreed to sign the memoranda of understanding for license plate reader cameras because we don’t know when the county is going to approve permits,” Mustafa said.
Taylor said the memo was to explain the Flossmoor Police Department’s current situation regarding completing the set-up of the LPR cameras.
“I’m hoping that we can get them installed no later than early next month,” Taylor said, noting the work will depend on weather, getting the equipment and installation schedules.
Taylor said the department will continue looking into additional technological advances outside of the LPR cameras.
