SOLEDAD — The City of Soledad has increased its public safety efforts by installing eight “Flock” cameras and signing a five-year contract with Flock Group Inc.
Flock cameras are solar-powered, motion-activated cameras capable of reading license plates. They are also used in other Monterey County jurisdictions, such as Salinas, Seaside and Marina.
Following the King City mass shooting in March, many jurisdictions have begun exploring the possibility of connecting city camera systems to share information on critical incidents and threats to public safety.
On May 15, the Soledad City Council approved the installation and contract for the Flock cameras at a cost not exceeding $91,800, with most of the funds coming from the American Rescue Plan Act.
“Recently, several high-profile criminal incidents have occurred in the outlying areas surrounding the City,” said Deputy Chief Fred Lombardi of the Soledad Police Department. “Both these incidents occurred in areas not currently covered by City cameras, and the suspects, along with the suspect vehicles, would have been captured on video if Flock cameras had been deployed in the current blind spots.”
The City of Soledad hopes that these cameras, which were installed in late July, will support the ongoing efforts to reduce crime and better identify perpetrators when a crime is committed.
