Thirteen automated license plate recognition cameras will be installed throughout the village of Buffalo Grove later this year, police officials said it part of an effort to lower crime rates in the northwest suburb, police say.
The Buffalo Grove Village Board approved on a 6-0 vote a five-year contract worth $230,100 with Flock Group Inc., to provide the camera equipment with poles, secure permits through the county and Illinois Department of Transportation, and install, setup and test the cameras. As part of the contract, Buffalo Grove police will have access to Flock devices in state and national networks – which now total 1,200 cities and some 5,000 cameras, Buffalo Grove police Chief Brian Budds explained to village trustees at the March 18 board meeting.
“It truly is a force multiplier,” Budds told the board at its March 18 meeting.
Budds said the outdoor cameras optically scan vehicle license plates and track vehicles, providing data to police seeking a would-be suspect’s vehicle make, model, color and location history. The information collected by the cameras, he said, has been accepted in criminal court cases as scientific evidence.
Other nearby communities using the devices include Vernon Hills, Wheeling, Deerfield and Riverwoods.
“I’m a strong supporter of this program,” said Trustee Joanne Johnson. “This allows our police department to almost become part of a regional police department. We can work with our neighbors to track vehicles out of the village without impeding anyone’s privacy. It’s a big win for pesky crimes that you can’t solve because you can’t get there in time or you don’t have enough information.”
This fall, cameras are expected to be installed at Dundee Road and Cambridge Drive, Dundee Road and Trace Drive, northbound Arlington Heights Road at Mill Creek Park, northbound Buffalo Grove Road at Cambridge Park, northbound Milwaukee Avenue at Johnson Drive, eastbound Lake Cook Road at Arlington Heights Road, eastbound McHenry Road at Old Route 53; eastbound Half Day Road at Buffalo Grove Road, westbound Half Day Road at Taylor Street, northbound McHenry Road at Lake Cook Road, northbound Weiland Road at Lake Cook Road, westbound Deerfield Parkway at Milwaukee Avenue, and Westbound Aptakisic Road and Barclay Boulevard, according to village information about the program.
“I don’t want this to be used for purposes other than what it’s intended for,” Trustee Lester Ottenheimer warned.
He joined Trustee Andrew Stein in expressing concerns that someone who may be tracking an unfaithful partner’s vehicle, for example, would try to request access to the video.
“The village’s police department is going to access this information for a limited purpose,” Budds said. “If someone is engaging in a FOIA [Freedom of Information Act] phishing expedition, we could put a stop to it.”
The police chief said the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act would also limit some access.
Also during the board meeting, trustees approved a $30,000 performance bonus for Village Manager Dane Bragg based on his work in 2023.
“This last year has been very transformational for our community in many ways,” Bragg said after many trustees recognized what they considered his outstanding performance. “Coming out of the pandemic, the board was determined to be aggressive and strong in its leadership and that has really paid huge dividends.”
He noted the redevelopment of The Clove, the former Buffalo Grove Town Center and the building of a Tesla sales and service center at the former site of the Bob Rohrman car dealerships which had been vacant for more than a decade.
“I’m very proud of the great decisions you’ve made as a board and the support you’ve provided,” Bragg said. “I really can’t do all the things that I do without the amazing staff we have.”
Village President Eric Smith also commended Bragg.
“This board stands on your shoulders, you make us look good, and your staff makes you look good,” the mayor told the village manager.
Bragg’s four-year contract extension was previously approved by the board in December 2022, extending it through 2026. Bragg earned $300,589 last year, and also received a $30,000 bonus in 2022. He will receive a 3% salary increase this year, plus expenses, according to village reports.
Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.
