CLARKSVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- What started out as a trial for a new police system is turning out to be an effective way for the Clarksville Police Department to locate high-level criminals.
Thanks to specialized police cameras called the Flock Safety System, dozens of stolen vehicles have been recovered and nearly 40 people were arrested in just six months, the department said.
The cameras monitor traffic and have license plate recognition technology. Police officers can register license plate numbers of stolen vehicles or cars associated with known sex offenders. When the car drives past, police are notified within seconds.
"You match it then with (the) date and time stamp and it gives you a pretty clear indicator that's the vehicle you're looking for," said John Miller, Clarksville Police Department's public information officer.
Miller said the police department's focus is to identify high-level criminals.
"We will not be using our cameras for low-level crimes, that's not what we're using it for," said Miller. "We really do want to get the high-level crime, the felons, warrants, sex offenders, the real bad guys out there."
Clarksville is one of the first departments in the area to implement the new system. The department does not disclose the locations of the cameras, but said there are several around town ranging from neighborhoods to busy streets.
The system has already proven to be effective for Clarksville. In six months, Clarksville police have recovered 35 stolen vehicles, made five felony arrests, 29 drug-related arrests and 38 arrests in total.
"It does serve as a necessary tool for us," said Miller.
Miller is hopeful the new Flock system will have even more success once Jeffersonville police implement the program too.
"We're going to be on the same system," Miller said. "We can share our access, as well as them share ours, and if a vehicle is alerted in Jeffersonville it would also alert us."
Clarksville Police said other cities in Indiana, like Indianapolis and some surrounding suburbs, also use the Flock system.
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