License-plate reading cameras coming to Spring Valley to track wanted vehicles, missing persons

The Spring Valley City Council on Monday approved a resolution regarding the purchase of three traffic cameras and enrollment in a network that will aid the city’s police department in solving crimes and protecting its citizens.

According to Spring Valley Police Chief Adam Curran, the city has agreed to purchase three Flock Safety Falcon cameras to be installed in yet to be confirmed high traffic areas to assist in the search for vehicles belonging to sought-after persons, people who have been involved at the scene of a crime and to provide evidence to further strengthen existing cases.

It also will send police notifications regarding missing persons, as in an Amber Alert search for a child or a Silver Search for an elderly person.

“This is not a 24-hour surveillance system, so it’s not Big Brother looking over your shoulder,” Curran said. “It is a license plate reader system that recognizes plates and takes pictures of them. It stores the pictures for about 30 days and then they’re deleted … We will use (the pictures) for investigative purposes, for example when we’re looking for stolen vehicles, vehicles owned by wanted persons or even minor things when we had a dumping call (of an abandoned stolen car).

“It’s basically another tool in our toolbox. It will help us find out who committed a crime … but it’s not just about crime. In some cases, it’s about community caretaking, as well.”

The cameras will make Spring Valley a part of an enormous nationwide network to which nearly all of the neighboring communities already subscribe. The network gives the department access not only to feeds as close as Peru, La Salle, Oglesby, Princeton and other communities in Bureau and Putnam counties, but also ones all over the country, in states as far away as Florida, New York and California.

Curran said when the cameras pick up a sought-after plate, within 15 seconds it will send the SVPD a notification of when and where the vehicle was spotted. It will notify the police the vehicle is registered to a wanted person or suspect in a crime, if the vehicle has suspended plates or if the registered driver has a suspended license.

Initial start-up, Curran said, is expected to cost about $11,000, but after that will run at near $3,000 per camera for the next two years. That expense will come out of the SVPD’s impound fees already collected.

Curran said the locations have been tentatively chosen for the cameras, areas of high traffic where “crimes are more likely to happen or where (suspects) are likely to drive by,” such as busy roads and major highways entering and exiting the city.

Agreements still need to be worked out with the Illinois Department of Transportation for the use of its traffic structures, but such requests to IDOT are in the works.

In other action, the council:

• approved the petition from Grow Spring Valley to host its annual Harvest/Sausage Fest on Oct. 19.
• approved a resolution awarding a business development grant to Giovanni (John) Piccolo for his property located at 101 E. Erie St.