CANFIELD TOWNSHIP — Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office Detective Ty Hyshaw and Chief Deputy Jeff Allen attended a special Canfield Township Trustees workshop Wednesday to talk about Flock license plate readers.

The township will soon be receiving its first four cameras.

Flock cameras can read the license plates of vehicles if a stolen vehicle comes into a community or a crime was committed and police are looking for the suspect vehicle.

Allen did not want to release the locations of the cameras but did say the installation locations would be in areas where traffic travels into and out of the township.

Allen said the township is already surrounded by Flock communities.

“Boardman has 90 cameras that are being installed (this month),” he said. “Youngstown has 65 cameras with another 30 ordered, and Canfield City has 19.”

He added that Austintown is meeting with Flock and will have its own cameras in place.

Allen said once the contract is approved and the cameras are installed, his department will have access to a national network for Flock.

Township trustee Brian Governor asked if the cameras were permanent.

“Once the cameras are placed, they can be moved if need be, but Flock has to handle it,” Allen said.

Actual costs for the cameras and installation were not discussed, but Allen did ask if the township could pay for the installation. He felt there would be less red tape since the township will have the contract. Governor said a motion can be presented at the next meeting.

Hyshaw addressed the ability of private entities installing Flock cameras. He said the cameras are available for large retail stores to residential developments. He said residential homeowner associations can install cameras to find out when a suspicious vehicle enters and leaves the development. However, he said an HOA would not be able to access police records, nor could they use the cameras for domestic concerns to track an individual’s movements.

“Once a development has success with the cameras (as a crime deterrent), other developments will want them as well,” he said. “Also, the neighborhoods can put up signs stating it is protected by Flock cameras.”

He said the same applies to retail businesses who want to put up the cameras.

There was some discussion in past meetings about placing Flock cameras near Township Park on Hebert Road. Over the past several months, a vehicle has been driving on the soccer fields late at night, and the park cameras could not pick up a license plate because it was dark.

Trustees are looking at adding three security lights at the park to light up the fields and playground area to increase security.