Lake Zurich police to get first body worn cameras and in-car video, replacement Tasers
Lake Zurich is making a big investment in policing upgrades to include the department's first body-worn cameras and a license plate reader program.
A package including body cameras for 33 officers, a new in-car video system, Tasers, and digital storage and software support is the largest expense at $636,000.
In a separate measure, $100,500 has been authorized for an automatic license plate reader program involving six cameras to be installed at major village entrances.
Both packages will be paid in equal installments over the next five years beginning in 2024. Grants of $66,000 for bodycams and $12,000 for license plate readers will offset the costs with more possible but not guaranteed.
Timing to receive, install and implement the packages is to be determined with everything expected in use next year.
Lake Zurich police have not had bodycams. But like other municipalities and counties with fewer than 50,000 residents, Lake Zurich is required by state law to implement them by Jan. 1, 2025.
"It's great new technology that will be beneficial for the officers, useful for training review, and will provide an increased level of transparency for the public," police Chief Steve Husak said of the bodycams.
The department has had in-car cameras and audio recording devices for many years but the current system was installed in 2016 and is no longer supported, Husak said.
The department's conducted electrical weapon systems (Tasers) also are beyond useful life.
Bodycams, in-car video and Tasers will be bundled and storage and redaction software provided through Axon Enterprise Inc.
Axon is the sole distributor and retailer of all Taser brand products so bundling all three hardware components into a single, integrated system is only available through Axon Enterprise, according to information provided to the village board.
Digital evidence storage for department-gathered video also will allow citizens to upload photos, doorbell and other security footage directly to case files. The system also will allow videos, photos, audio or anything in a digital format to be shared with the Lake County State's Attorney's office.
The Flock Safety automatic license plate reader system is intended to provide the department with additional investigative resources. It's in use in more than 150 agencies in Illinois including 17 Lake County communities, according to information provided to the board.
Flock is a motion-activated camera that notes the color, license plate and make and model of every vehicle that passes. An alert is sent to police if a vehicle is on a "hot list" of stolen vehicles, is wanted for being used in a crime or associated with Amber or Silver alerts.
None of the collected information is sold or used to issues tickets, for example, and is deleted from the system after 30 days.