Peotone Police Secure Over $75,000 in Grants for Flock Cameras, Opioid Response, and E-Bike Patrol

Peotone Village Board Meeting | September 22, 2025

Article Summary: The Peotone Police Department has been awarded over $75,000 in two separate grants, which will fund the purchase of license plate-reading Flock Security cameras along Interstate 57, enhance opioid response training and naloxone distribution, and add an electric bicycle to its patrol fleet.

Police Department Grants Key Points:

• A grant for $70,266 from Will County’s Opioid Settlement Funds will be used for naloxone training, education, and the purchase and installation of three Flock Security System cameras.

• Chief David DeMik justified the camera placement by citing the need to monitor the “I-57 heroin highway to Chicago.”

• A separate grant for $5,527 was secured for an electric-assisted patrol bicycle and related officer equipment.

• The department plans to seek additional funding for a second bicycle to expand its community policing efforts.

The Peotone Police Department has successfully secured more than $75,000 in grant funding for new technology and public health initiatives, Police Chief David DeMik announced at the Village Board meeting on Monday, September 22, 2025.

The larger of the two grants provides $70,266 from Will County’s share of national opioid lawsuit settlement funds. DeMik explained that the funds will be used for a multi-faceted approach to combatting the opioid crisis, including hands-on naloxone administration training, public education on recognizing overdose signs, and the distribution of free Narcan kits to the community.

A significant portion of the grant will fund the purchase, installation, and two years of service for three Flock Security System cameras. These cameras feature live-feed capabilities and automated license plate reader (LPR) technology.

“I got Flock cameras with it,” DeMik told the board. “In my submission, I put that it’s for the I-57 heroin highway to Chicago. So, I have to put some cameras by I-57.” He noted that existing cameras would be relocated to other strategic points in town. The grant will cover two years of service fees for the new cameras, which DeMik said are “expensive.”

The department will also be required to conduct public classes on opioid awareness and distribute 250 Narcan kits to local businesses, schools, and residents. “Everybody should have it because you never know when you might be exposed to fentanyl,” DeMik said.

A second, separate grant for $5,527 will reimburse the village for an electric-assisted patrol bicycle and associated equipment for its two certified bike patrol officers. The e-bike has already been used at community events like the Sip & Stroll and the farmers market. DeMik said he is actively seeking another grant to purchase a second bike in the spring to further implement the bike patrol program.

The board received the report without comment. The grants represent a significant investment in both technology and community health programs for the village at minimal cost to local taxpayers.