Peotone Police Detail Locations, Capabilities of New Grant-Funded Security Cameras

Village of Peotone Meeting | October 27, 2025

Article Summary: Peotone Police Chief DeMik provided the Village Board with a detailed overview of a new network of Flock security cameras being installed throughout the village. Funded by a grant for two years, the system includes a mix of stationary license plate readers and pan-and-tilt live-feed cameras designed to enhance surveillance at key entry points and commercial areas.

Flock Security Cameras Key Points:

• The entire camera system and two years of service are paid for by a grant.

• The network includes license plate reader (LPR) cameras and live-feed cameras with panning and motion-detection capabilities.

• Key locations include Wilmington Road, the Railroad Street parking lot, and the commercial area near Subway and the gaming cafe.

• Police officers will have live access to the cameras in their squad cars and will receive alerts for movement in certain areas during overnight hours.

During the Peotone Village Board meeting on Monday, October 27, 2025, Police Chief DeMik presented a comprehensive plan for the deployment of a new, grant-funded Flock security camera system. The network is designed to monitor traffic and activity at strategic locations around the village.

The system features two types of cameras: license plate readers (LPRs) that capture vehicle data, and live-feed cameras that provide a broad view of an area, some with the ability to pan, tilt, and zoom.

Chief DeMik outlined the specific locations for the new cameras:

• Wilmington Road and Drexler: An LPR camera will be installed to monitor vehicles entering and leaving town from an area not currently covered.

• Ratchy Avenue: An LPR camera will be placed to capture traffic coming into and going out of town.

• Railroad Street Parking Lot: A combination unit will provide a wide-angle live feed of the entire lot from Second Street to nearly Main Street, while an integrated LPR will read the plates of cars entering the lot. A second live-feed camera on a village pole will provide panning coverage of the area from First Street to Second Street.

• Commercial Lot (Subway/Gaming Cafe): A live-feed camera will be installed that can be programmed to pan back and forth. It features motion detection that can alert officers in their squad cars to movement between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. and automatically zoom in on the activity.

• Wilmington Road (near I-57): An existing LPR camera will be supplemented with a new fixed live-feed camera to monitor activity at the gas stations near the expressway.

• Route 50: An existing LPR will also be upgraded with a fixed live-feed camera.

DeMik explained that officers will be able to view the live feeds from their squad cars. The motion-detection feature, particularly in commercial areas overnight, will give police a “little bit of warning before we get alarmed,” allowing them to respond proactively. The grant covers the cost of the cameras and service for two years.