LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Flock cameras are proving to be a game-changer for local law enforcement agencies as they aid in tracking stolen vehicles and those tied to other crimes. In Scott County, the sheriff's department has found these cameras particularly helpful, and now there's a push to install specialized flock cameras along north and southbound I-75 at the Grant and Fayette County lines to capture pictures of license plates of speeding vehicles.
Capt. Josh Bedson of the Scott County Sheriff's Department believes the cameras will have a broader impact at those locations.
"We believe it will help identify suspects in and out of our county, assisting with several different cases and providing support to Lexington, Grant County, the state police, adjacent agencies, as well as our own," Bedson said.
However, law enforcement departments clarify that flock cameras aren't tools for traffic enforcement; they are used for investigative purposes only.
In a demonstration, Capt. Bedson entered a description of a deputy's SUV to showcase the system's functionality, likening the cameras to a photographic lineup of vehicles.
"It will give us a great picture, providing a clear view of the license plate," Bedson said.
In Fayette County, Lexington Police have successfully utilized the cameras to solve recent crimes. They tracked down a vehicle at a local elementary school related to a fatal hit-and-run and, in March, traced a car connected to a Kroger robbery suspect within an hour of the crime.
Commander Matt Greathouse emphasized the value of this technology, saying, "We still have to do our job and run the plate like we always have. It just gives us a lead, putting us where we need to be and running efficiently for precise policing within our community."
The flock cameras collaborate with city traffic cameras, transmitting images and videos to the Real Time Intelligence Center, thus speeding up the process of suspect vehicle identification.
Since March 2022, Lexington Police have recovered 331 stolen vehicles, served 397 warrants and subpoenas, seized 120 firearms, and charged 656 individuals.
The impact has been evident with a steady increase in crime-solving since last July: 283 stolen vehicles recovered, 305 warrants and subpoenas served, 83 firearms seized, and 513 individuals charged. Further highlighting the technology's reach, Lexington Police attribute the assistance of flock and traffic cameras, along with the Real Time Intelligence Center, to progressing investigations in five of six homicides this year.
Commander Greathouse underscored the system's importance: "The whole premise behind it is to ensure we provide real-time intelligence to officers responding to the call on scene."
