300 Flock cameras coming to Colorado mountain county

Summit County is joining a group of Colorado communities to install and utilize specialized surveillance cameras to help prevent crime, as well as stop crimes while they are happening. The main difference is the focus of the cameras; these will be pointed toward the major exits and entrances to major roadways such as Interstate 70 and Highway 9. But this isn't about traffic violations; it's about more serious crimes. 

Flock Safety cameras can be used as license plate readers, and they can even identify car makes, models and colors. That means so long as a law enforcement agency has the details of a suspects vehicle, they can tell when they drive by one of their cameras, and dispatch an officer or deputy to intercept. 

Sgt. Mike Schilling with the Summit County Sheriff's Office said it gives them eyes where they don't always have them, unless they station deputies all over the county. That saves them a ton of time to get to other calls, while making sure they are putting their best work into stopping crimes along those roadways. 

"Specifically to prevent human trafficking, combat drug trafficking, locate kidnapping victims," Schilling said. "It's the responsibility we all share along the corridor."

The project is funded thanks to efforts from Congressman Joe Neguse (Col-D), garnering $210,000 specifically for the Flock camera program itself. While the cameras will also be placed in the interiors of the city as well, the focus was intended to curb criminals traveling along the interstate and highways. Schilling said, since Summit is a little late to the party in terms of adopting this technology, they'll be joining a network of other law enforcement agencies that are using the technology and will share their data with each other. That extends outside the state too. 

Flock Safety already has a presence in the Denver metro area, as law enforcement agencies increasingly continue to utilize the new technology being offered. 

Right now, Summit County's plan is to install its first cameras by Jan. 1 and continue to install more throughout the rest of 2025.  

"We are now part of a national database, right?" Schilling said. "It's important to note that our cameras might assist a neighboring jurisdiction just as their cameras might help us solve our case. It's really law enforcement working together to keep the I-70 corridor safe."