by Geoff Fox
Town officials have approved Flock Cameras, but they will not be replacing the existing cameras that have been keeping an eye on Hancock for about a decade.
Instead, the new cameras would be for police purposes only and have license plate readers installed as well as other equipment to aid police.
Right now, there haven’t been specific spots chosen, Town Manager Mike Faith said, so Flock would have to come to Hancock and do a site survey.
“There are a few factors that will determine the locations: visibility, existing, infrastructure, high traffic area, etc.,” Faith said. “The initial thought is to get coverage at the entrances and exits to town.”
The cost would an extra $18,000, however the town doesn’t have to put the project out to bid.
Normally, if the cost is over $15,000, the town would have to put the project out to bid but there are exceptions.
Faith said if a company is the sole source and the product is so unique it wouldn’t get three bids that would be an exception.
If there is a trial period, and in this case Flock has a 6-month trial period, then they wouldn’t have to put the project out to bid.
Flock Safety is a sole source of software for the cameras, so the contract doesn’t have to be put out for bid, and the town attorney has signed off on how it is set up.
With the 6-month trail period, the town isn’t obliged and if the town isn’t satisfied, Flock can come and uninstall the cameras at no cost to the town.
“If something doesn’t work out, we’ll tell them to come get them,” Faith said.
Flock gave the town a deal on the camera system overall at $17,500 a year for six cameras. That money will come from revenue from the Red Speed cameras by the high school and elementary school.
Faith said Flock added three more cameras to take the total to $18,750.
Flock will own the cameras, not the town. If the cameras were to become out of date or obsolete, Flock will update them under the town agreement.
Faith said Hagerstown uses Flock’s cameras and hasn’t had any complaints.
While specific sites haven’t been chosen, Faith said the entrances and exits to and from the town would be logical spots.
Faith said Hancock Police Chief Rich Miller has been involved with possible sites for the cameras.
The cameras will also be equipped to receive Amber Alerts and used a recent one from Anne Arundel County as an example.
The camera system would receive the alert so if the car were to be in Hancock, the police would know it’s in the area.
If there’s a local criminal in Hancock police are looking for, they can be put them in the system and flag their vehicle if the license plate comes through.
“It’s state of the art technology,” Faith said. “We think it will have a real positive impact for law enforcement.”
There is a planning meeting for the end of June and Faith estimates the project would start mid to late July.
“This is all very preliminary,” he said.
There are 16 cameras throughout town already and a representative for another camera company has already been in contact with Faith regarding those.
There is grant money available for these cameras, Faith said.
“With the DOGE cuts and stuff, everything’s kind of up in the air,” Faith said.
If the grants can be found, the town could be in the market to get more cameras for the town at some later date through a different purchase arrangement.