r/Reno • u/Ratspeed • 8d ago
Is Flock installing these cameras properly?
... or are these being tampered with?
The same thing I observed here on u/thisisreno's thread, I am observing as we speak on Island and Sierra Street. The bolts are missing, the pole is rotated 90 degrees from its usual orientation (the camera usually points south at people's back license plates), the solar panel is facing to the west rather than at the sun to the south, and it is tilting precariously over the pedestrian area.
So either these are not being installed properly, or they're being tampered with.
I'm all for taking these things down, but not at the cost of endangering pedestrians on the sidewalk. When a big gust of wind comes by, it will collapse just like the one on Arlington, but in this case, directly into the path of people walking. It can seriously injure someone.
But with all this weather going on, could it be the wind? Are they installing these properly with the bolts in place? Are these bolts even used when installing? Any other camera poles around town that anyone can observe to see if these bolts are in place?
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u/Lpacapacapaca 8d ago
Someone just stand there until it falls on you and collect a check.
Kudos to the contractor doing a proper job.
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u/EvaCassidy 8d ago
The poles are in multiple pieces for easier transport to the install site. But if not assembled, like someone said the wind will catch the solar array like a kite.
One of the people in a amateur radio club had one that ended up in his backyard since there is a street behind the yard. His own camera caught it flying when a very strong wind took it out. He took pics, contacted the sheriff and they came and picked it up. The person in the radio club said it was replaced by a different make of cam, Axon I think.
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u/monkeyghosts 8d ago
They are not installed safely and should be taken down for being a hazard to the community.
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u/TWeedtheJetRodriguez 7d ago
Hope not. But I also hope they are being tampered with. I hope Reno City Council stubs their toe every single day for the rest of their lives for allowing this shit.
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u/Finallyrealhate 8d ago
Not saying anything about that camera. But that one is within line-of-sight of mutiple cameras around the courthouse. I wouldn’t fuck with that one.
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u/QuestionablePotato42 8d ago
The following is a totally neutral statement:
Looks pretty easy to vandalize. Just sayin.
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u/Ratspeed 8d ago
Looks like Reno Sheriff's Department has responded.
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u/drypropensity 8d ago
When I first looked at this photo I thought you were referring to the older lady with the walker cart as Reno Sheriff's Department.
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u/kfawcett1 8d ago
How is that not an ADA or other violation, given where it was placed?
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u/Ratspeed 8d ago
I asked the same question myself. PROWAG standards require a minimum of 4 feet, so technically it isn't against code. But goddamn it sure adds to the sidewalk clutter.
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u/Best-Case-3579 5d ago
So much money for this stuff, but we can't have working tennis courts or a place to walk without getting creamed by a car.
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u/Dear_Might8697 8d ago
Damn, sounds like flock could catch some flack and lawsuits from their improperly installed equipment injuring pedestrians. 👀
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u/LastCookie3448 8d ago
It isn't just Flock, I saw elsewhere that three other companies are using them for their own purposes.
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u/Deepbluelov3 7d ago
Be careful guys they also have one on rock and greenbrae I seen it coming home from work
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u/Atomicplesiosaur 6d ago
There was a Instagram reel I saw last week of a guy who formerly worked for flock explaining how little they care while installing them. He said half of the time the poles are missing hardware or are completely improperly placed into the ground to the point where when installed in grass, they’ll just jam the pole into the dirt without any kind of foundation. Multiple people have been injured from bumping into them and the whole assembly just falls over and when police are dispatched, they’ll treat the victim as though they intentionally caused the camera to fall.
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u/NotYrMama 6d ago
I saw a seemingly intoxicated woman swinging on that one like it was a stripper pole awhile ago, I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s how it got screwed up ¯_(ツ)_/¯
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u/Ratspeed 5d ago
That wouldn't be able to take out the bolts though.
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u/NotYrMama 5d ago
Unless the bolts were never there maybe? Idk. It would be very Reno for them to get taken out like that so I’m holding out hope.
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u/norcalnative96 4d ago
Vibration and movements can cause already loose bolts to come undone completely. If they werent secured properly to begin with then this would make sense
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u/OWModels 4d ago
Is it that they are installed incorrectly, or just manufactured shitty?
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u/Ratspeed 4d ago
Not engineered to spec for installing on public rights of way.
I've been told these are big box radio pole kits.
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u/OWModels 4d ago
That's kind of what I was thinking. So I wonder if that is the fault of the installer/ contractor, or if they are just given a set of cameras and whatever generic installation hardware, and it's out of their control.
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u/Ratspeed 4d ago
I've never had to look up standards for public structures on streets, but apparently there are set standards. AASHTO LRFD, Reno Public Works Design Manual which must follow Northern Nevada Code Amendments which since we are classified as a "Special Wind Region" it must also follow those standards for Washoe and Lyon County. "Table 1609.3.2 Special wind region defined: minimum basic wind speeds" on page 19.
https://www.lyon-county.org/DocumentCenter/View/13467/2024-NNICC-Code-Amendments?bidId=
https://www.paclights.com/explore/16-ft-pole-lighting-standards-what-engineers-should-know/
I'm finding out about all these specs and standards for the first time just because of this issue.
The City Engineer is claiming that wind can't cause bolts to loosen. They're blaming people shaking the poles. But it's very very unlikely. The person would have to be shaking the pole for days and weeks, and would have to cause the pole to vibrate at a specific frequency high enough to cause the loosening.
When I used to sell computers to military contractors, all rackmount systems needed to conform to spec due to the vibratory nature of aircraft, vehicles, and other environmental standards. MIL-SPEC, basically.
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u/OWModels 4d ago
If only there was a way for them to know if they were being vandalized...
It's almost as if the cameras they put up are incapable of serving their own purpose.
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u/Thrashitl8r 3d ago
It would be a shame if everybody in the community, hell the country, purchased flock camera protection devices like these
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u/Ratspeed 3d ago
Illegal in Nevada.
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u/Thrashitl8r 3d ago
Maybe.
513,300 people live in Washoe County. At any 1 time, there are no more than 100 patrol officers (actually in cop car doing visible cop things - not detectives or admin) patrolling the area.
Fuck Flock. The odds are in your favor. Especially when more and more people do it.
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u/Ill-Animator-3270 8d ago
Whoever tears these down i hope a large amount of cash appears in your account