Flock cameras are being knocked down in Erath County. Law enforcement officials say it needs to stop.
Someone apparently thinks it's a good idea to knock down Flock cameras in Erath County.
In the past several weeks, at least four cameras have been knocked down or damaged, including two on US Hwy. 281 that might have caught the person who snatched Ruffles, Henderson Junior High School’s emotional support dog.
(Read the story here.)
Erath County Sheriff Matt Coates told Beneath the Surface News that all of the damaged cameras belong to DPS and that the vandalism needs to stop.
“Those cameras could have helped us find Ruffles,” Coates said.
“This time it was a dog, but the next time it could be a child. I’ve asked people who are against the cameras how they feel about that and none of them can answer.”
Coates said what many people don’t realize is that Flock cameras have helped local law enforcement locate several “silver alerts,” which are missing elderly persons.
Stephenville Police Chief Dan Harris says he, too, is concerned about the damage to Flock cameras.
“One of the things that scares me the most is if a young child or elderly person goes missing,” Harris said.
“Flock cameras can help us find them.”
He said the benefit of Flock cameras far outweighs the small number of police officers who have misused the data.
“If you are a criminal or a person who is missing or in danger, we are going to use Flock cameras to prosecute you or find you,” Harris said.
“The last thing we want to do is infringe on anyone’s Fourth Amendment rights, but I am for utilizing anything we can to keep Stephenville and Erath County safe.”
Police officers who misuse Flock camera data face civil and criminal penalties, Harris said.
Likewise, those who damage Flock cameras also face criminal prosecution.
Click here to read how Flock cameras helped catch an alleged arsonist.
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