In a time where health officials are pushing social distancing due to the spread of COVID-19, one police department in Texas is leveraging technology to increase their efforts of unifying community members.

Coastal Texans are no stranger to disruptive events. Officers in this area recently faced Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which resulted in over 125 billion dollars in damage, 13 million people affected, and 135,000 homes nearly destroyed.

What officers learned in the wake of this destruction and the strain it had on everyday life is still top of mind when it comes to navigating times of crisis.

Less than three years ago after the dust settled from Harvey, police and residents were stuck in isolation for over 2 weeks due to massive flooding causing safety hazards to litter the streets. Police leadership recognized the need to keep the lines of communication open because it was absolutely critical for the public to know what was happening. By learning and adapting from the natural disaster and coming out stronger as a community, this agency made a playbook on how to handle these types of unfortunate events.

Now they’re having to tap into that again with the outbreak of COVID-19.

Officers started with creating an email newsletter updating the general public nearly every day on how the police department is staffed, what resources are being used, and how successful they have been in responding to calls for service. Also in that newsletter is a high-risk registry portal where residents can click on unique links to update their profile, special needs, and file sick reports or special visits. This is the department’s way of keeping in touch and easing the fears of residents.

Flock Safety: The Officer That Never Sleeps

Unfortunately, crime doesn’t shut down in the time of disaster. The United Nations analyzed data recorded by police in 15 countries and found that “during periods of economic stress, the incidence of robbery may double, and homicide and motor vehicle theft also increase.”

In a time when resources are spread thin and officers cannot be in the field as much as usual, technology is critical to having eyes on the street for protection. Flock Safety cameras work 24/7 and see like a detective to help an agency stay on top of their city. The system never gets tired, never needs time off, and never gets sick, so the agency never misses a step.

Social Distancing Doesn’t Stop Success

During the COVID-19 crisis, a Flock Safety license plate reading camera alerted officers of a stolen vehicle entering the Texas city just before 1 a.m. Officers were quickly deployed to the area and were able to find the suspected stolen truck. Upon arriving on the scene, an officer was able to pull over the vehicle and detain the occupants, also recovering several stolen articles within the vehicle, including:

• Stolen mail
• Hundreds of checks
• Over fifty stolen credit cards
• Fake titles and registrations
• Mailbox keys
• Dozens of vehicle key fobs
• Counterfeit money
• A police scanner
• Fake Postal Inspector credentials

Mail theft, a federal crime, is taken very seriously by this agency. Once the suspects were arrested, they were booked for actively stealing mail, committing identity theft and fraud. Without the Flock Safety camera system, the stolen vehicle may never have been seen. Vehicle hotlist alerts activated by license plate footage help make sure culprits don’t have the opportunity to drive by unnoticed.

Even in times of stress and adapting to the spread of COVID-19, this successful arrest shows that technology like Flock Safety license plate readers and other tools can be the difference maker to help keep crime at a minimum. Learn more from our consultants today.