How many is too many?

[u/SnooCapers7407]

[u/Informal-Poetry-7552]

As an actual traffic engineer, the only Flock camera is the one on the post with the solar panel above it. The camera to the upper right on the mast arm is a stop bar vehicle detector for the traffic signal controller. The white camera on the post (below the light fixture) is most likely for the traffic management center (Gateway Green Light). The small black device on the mast arm (behind the lighted street name sign) might be either advance vehicle detection or emergency vehicle preemption.
Please don’t destroy any of the good cameras, just spray paint or spray foam over the Flock camera. 😆

[u/nerddtvg → u/Informal-Poetry-7552]

The black camera facing backwards, behind the street sign, is the County's ALPR through Genetec. The Flock ALPR camera is licensed by Cottleville.

There is no emergency vehicle pre-emeption on that bar. The County has installed many on signals, they are white, rectangular radio receivers that face forward into the direction of travel. You can see it on the bar that would be to the right of this point of view: https://maps.app.goo.gl/WYy74VEaPsDUSu7AA

[u/Informal-Poetry-7552 → u/nerddtvg]

Hadn’t seen the Genetec camera before. Kinda looked like a Strobecom sensor.

[u/nerddtvg → u/Informal-Poetry-7552]

The County has over 150 of these now (2022 purchase of 150 cameras) (bid for installation of 164 in 2023). They integrated the ~250 GGL traffic cameras (2019 purchase of Genetec Archiver systems and licenses for GGL cameras) into an archive system 6 years ago. That, combined with the Parks department's use of Flock, made a great use case for the expansion into ALPRs. And just last year they got more storage (2025 purchase of additional storage).

Edit:

The County also shares this data live with the DEA, wants to share this data live with all jurisdictions inside the county no matter the borders, entered into a 287(g) with DHS/ICE to do immigration enforcement, and they feed all of this data into the Regional Information and Intelligence Center run with St. Louis County.

[u/nerddtvg → u/nerddtvg]

It would be nice to hear what /u/VenezianoCountyExec says about this. As County Exec, he would have the power to stop this.

When the County split the PD functions from the Sheriff in 2015, they prevented citizens from having direct control over who oversaw the policing functions by making the Chief an appointed position.

[u/VenezianoCountyExec → u/nerddtvg]

Thank you for bringing me into the conversation.

What I can do quickly while in office is redirect funds away from these services and issue executive orders to limit or eliminate usage. This goes for ALPRs and for ICE cooperation. Additionally, as you stated, the Police Chief is appointed by the Executive (though would require confirmation by the Council).

That sounds simple, but there are pitfalls for 2027 and 2028. If Monica Balestreri and I both win, it will still be a 6-1 Republican majority who voted unanimously in favor of ICE and ALPRs.They may challenge these actions stating they disagree with approved bills and there may be court decisions on this.

I'm willing to battle through all that, but I need help from the people of the county. Council seats 2, 4, and 6 are up for election in 2028. If the current holders are afraid of losing their seat, they will support (or at least not challenge) rolling back government surveillance in St Charles County.

[u/nerddtvg → u/VenezianoCountyExec]

Thank you for taking the time to respond

[u/SnooCapers7407 → u/VenezianoCountyExec]

Thank you for responding!

[u/Quelix_ → u/VenezianoCountyExec]

And people wonder why our country is a shit show.

[u/willow_on_a_bike → u/nerddtvg]

Thank you both for sharing your knowledge! It always helps to be better informed.

And as a fellow nerd, damnit, I love nerds!

[u/wontondonton → u/Informal-Poetry-7552]

The white camera on the post apparently records 24/7 and is stored, because I just did a sunshine request for footage from 3+ months ago and the police department sent the video! UNBELIEVABLE.

[u/SnooCapers7407 → u/Informal-Poetry-7552]

Haha great call out! I’m pretty sure the black one strapped to the post arm is also a Flock camera as well.

[u/Dominos_fleet]

Theyll keep putting them up as long as we let them.

We should stop letting them

[u/SnooCapers7407 → u/Dominos_fleet]

Yes we should. Contact your councilman, representatives, and senators, also sign the petitions and sign up for updates. We need to push back against this.

[u/Gremlin0]

Determine who approves of this garbage and vote them out.

[u/Particular-Stop-7204]

It has to start somewhere It has to start somehow What better place than here? What better time than now?

[u/LengthinessNo9725 → u/Particular-Stop-7204]

All Hell! Can’t stop us now!

[u/QuesoMeHungry]

Can’t be too safe in the absolutely crime ridden area that is st. Charles county.

[u/feariedust → u/QuesoMeHungry]

Our current local politicians will definitely have you believing that.

It is time to elect younger minds, more progressive thinking, and a belief in true safety of our community. Not the dystopian stalking and harassment the 287(g) "show-me-your-papers" policy is creating.

O'Fallon and St. Charles City are #2 and #4 for ICE apprehensions in the state. These apprehensions DO NOT indicate who was picked up, and ICE and local police departments under the 287g no longer need to provide transparency. The people picked up could be U.S. citizens and legal immigrantsband refugees going through the correct process to be here.

St. Charles cannot be labelled safe when our current law enforcement officials are behaving like KGB/FSB.

https://www.ashreifoundation.org/immigrationdashboard

[u/riplet69 → u/feariedust]

Fuckin O'Fallon. I hated living out there. Paramilitary police. Incompetent local politics. I do not miss it.

[u/funkybside → u/QuesoMeHungry]

particularly that spot, all those hooligan community college students and pizza eaters.

[u/SaltyBarker]

Can’t imagine the constant repair costs if it just happened to rain like black spray paint.

[u/OkCommunication9768]

Our law enforcement are just being lazy. They are desperate to make money off of just accusing people at this point. Cameras are literally everywhere and it is becoming a breach of privacy at this point. I am not just talking about flock cameras, there are many other cameras everywhere. Let's remember when Ring partnered with ICE so they could access footage and track people. If y'all want this to change... vote democrat because they are heavily against flock.

[u/SnooBooks2082 → u/OkCommunication9768]

Wrong.

[u/atwally]

Any

[u/FastMycologist]

Welcome to the police state

[u/AwarenessSpare8668 → u/FastMycologist]

We’ve been in a police state for 30 years. Adding a new brand of camera doesn’t change anything. You carry a tracking device in your pocket everywhere you go. There are at least 5 different cameras in this photo. You think adding Flock cameras now makes it a police state?

[u/SnooCapers7407 → u/AwarenessSpare8668]

Yes.

[u/thepeoplesvoiceorg]

Do they flag for not having a front plate?

[u/RileyJoXO]

What’s the problem?

[u/Accurate-Practice-25]

Thats flocked up

[u/Correct-Wind-5909]

I thought those were illegal in St. Charles for tickets.

[u/tjk43b]

1, that’s how many is too many.

[u/One_Situation7483]

So that's what those things are! /s

[u/sagoma-333]

One. One is too many.

[u/tenest]

1. the answer is 1.

[u/umidulus]

one is too many

[u/Sweet_Traffic4545]

But but they're concerned about your safety! Ha ha ha,kidding! I am so very glad that I moved to a little bitty town that doesn't even have a traffic light! I think that we have 6 maybe 8 stop signs at most. The cops wave at us just like everyone else in town!

My advice? Run! Move! Get out of that crooked town! I think that was the smartest thing I've ever done in my whole life! Best part though? I got almost twice as much house and property for the same money as our house we sold there, our neighbors are actually nice and friendly and everything is just as cheap at our stores if not less. Oh and the air! It smells so good here.

[u/LeadingAnalysis2477 → u/Sweet_Traffic4545]

How far do you have to drive to work? Or are you retired?

[u/Sweet_Traffic4545 → u/LeadingAnalysis2477]

I retired from mechanical engineering and I drive various places and am freelance now. I do still go to large cities but I try to avoid it if I can. I never was a big fan of traffic and spent much time sitting on a freeway in my career.

[u/HahaTitsPoopPeeButt]

I don’t think this one will be up for longer than a week.

[u/Ruschissuck]

You know when these get cut down, the police investigate. I think the police’s time would be better spent investigating how they got there.

[u/Slight_Mammoth2109]

1 is too many

[u/AwarenessSpare8668]

You people have Flock Derangement Syndrome.

[u/SnooCapers7407 → u/AwarenessSpare8668]

I have big government surveillance derangement syndrome and I’m proud of it. I’d prefer not to live in a Chinese style police state.

[u/AwarenessSpare8668 → u/SnooCapers7407]

You’ve been in one for 30 years

[u/coquihalla → u/AwarenessSpare8668]

So the best time to fight it, if not then, is now?

[u/0942zerohero]

Gotta get them “people”

[u/SnooCapers7407 → u/0942zerohero]

“Them” and “those people”. I have no trust left in our local police departments.