Why Norton is reconsidering an 8-month-old decision to reject Flock camera system
Eight months after rejecting a proposal to install a vehicle surveillance camera system, Norton City Council members are considering a new, more limited proposal.
The plan, discussed in a Feb. 6 work session, would place four Flock System cameras at two points along Barber Road.
Flock cameras would target a high-theft area
Businesses along Barber Road have been the target of thefts, including Fred Martin Superstore.
More:Norton rejects surveillance cameras a week after Akron's approval of Flock Safety system
A representative from the company told council members the dealership has suffered significant losses from rampant vehicle theft.
"Last year, in 2022, Fred Martin had nine theft occurrences, amounting to just under half a million dollars in merchandise," Cody Huff, operations manager for the dealership, told council.
Fred Martin's effort to stop thefts
The dealership has invested in theft-prevention strategies, including about $26,000 on rocks to discourage thieves from driving over curbs, a full-time security guard, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in camera equipment.
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"Every time it happens, we always miss it by just this much," he said. "… This is a theft ring that's all over Northeast Ohio."
Under the new proposal, Fred Martin would pay to have the cameras installed and two years of camera service.
Norton could evaluate Flock cameras as a two-year trial
Councilman Joe Kernan said the plan could function as a test run for the city.
"After a couple years, if it's not working or there are other concerns, then we don't have to continue it," he said.
Communities throughout Northeast Ohio have installed Flock cameras in the past few years, but Norton Council members have previously expressed concerns about the cost of a wider system and who has access to the Flock database. The cameras record license plates, alerting authorities when a stolen vehicle is sighted.
More:Akron starts installing Flock license plate cameras in fight against crime
Police chief John Dalessandro said the program could be evaluated after the two-year trial and modified or rejected by council if it is ineffective.
"If we're not getting any product out of it, or it's not helping at all, we can pack them up and send them back," he said.
On Monday, the first of three readings of the Flock ordinance was read to the council. It is scheduled for three readings before a vote takes place.
One council member expressed concerns that the cameras could be used or accessed beyond their intended purpose.
"There is no guarantee that this won't be ... abused in some manner," Councilwoman Charlotte Whipkey said at the Monday meeting. "And I'm not just saying from our police department, I'm saying from government in general."
Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Norton reconsiders Flock camera system after thefts at Fred Martin
