Calhoun County, AL – Calhoun County Sheriff, Matthew Wade and the Calhoun County Commissioners held a press conference to discuss the new camera system that is expected to be deployed around the unincorporated areas of Calhoun County. The Flock Safety camera system is designed to capture and log vehicles, tag information, and other identifying information that can help the Sheriff’s Office investigate crimes committed in the area. During the press conference, Sheriff Wade discussed the use of this type of system to aid investigators in finding a local woman that had been kidnapped. The suspect was identified and later tracked down and arrested in Kentucky.

During the last County Commission meeting there was a unanimous vote to enter into an agreement with Flock Safety to secure 10 cameras that will be “strategically placed” within Calhoun County. The camera system will be able to be accessed through the East Alabama Metro Crime Center (EMACC) which is a central hub for law enforcement agencies that operate in and around the Calhoun County area.

Sheriff Wade also addressed some concerns that have been raised during their research for using this type of system. He stated, “These cameras can only be accessed for a criminal investigation. They’re not traffic control devices, they’re not speed checking devices, they can’t be altered or used for that even if we wanted to.”  He also explained that there are five districts in Calhoun County and each Commissioner thought it was important enough that sponsored two cameras in each district.

When asked when the system is expected to be implemented, Sheriff Wade said, “The commissioners have done their part but now we are waiting for the State of Alabama to give final approval”. He went on to discuss that there are a lot of regulations in place in order to utilize this type of system, “And that’s a good thing because we want to make sure that people’s rights and privacy are protected and that these cameras can’t be used to track anybody on a personal level.”

(Provided by Jim Evancho, Calhoun County Journal)