(BRICK, N.J.) --- A Brick resident has been charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief for cutting down a pole that held a Flock camera.
On July 8, Andrew Wardell, 31, was connected to an incident involving a Flock camera that occurred at an Exxon station on Drum Point Road and Hooper Avenue.
After a thorough investigation, the Brick police arrived at the gas station around 7:30 a.m. to find that a 15-foot pole with a Flock camera attached had been cut down. The camera was still operating after the incident.
A Flock camera is an automated license plate reader that records license plates, vehicle make/model/color and time. These cameras are put in place by an agency, in this case, the Brick Police Department, to help identify criminal activity.
In Ocean County New Jersey, there are 126 documented Flock Cameras, 22 of these cameras have been placed in Brick Township. In the State of New Jersey, there are 1,680 documented cameras.
(Photo Credit: My Town View)
Brick has nearly 78,000 residents and covers approximately 35.7 square miles. This equates to 2.82 cameras per 10,000 residents and 0.62 cameras per square mile.
The BPD posted a statement about the arrest, sparking immediate controversy. Residents in the community began standing up for Wardall, claiming he was elsewhere when the crime took place, while others called for greater transparency within the police department.
(Photo Credit: Brick Township Police Department Facebook page)
The police also cleared up misconceptions about the camera system, stating that they use it to identify stolen vehicles and vehicles connected to reported crimes, establish timelines and provide information promptly.
There is an established metric that determines whether a specific area has a higher volume of cameras or not. In Brick, the number of cameras per mile of road is considered above average.
(Photo Credit: My Town View)
OpGov.News conducted a poll of residents in the area to determine whether they believed Flock cameras were beneficial to the community. 76% voted that they do not like them and that they are not beneficial.
(Photo Credit: Alexis Nigro, Nextdoor)
Phil Nase of Beverly Beach offered his opinion on whether Mayor Lisa Crate may be involved in the recent increase in Flock cameras in the area.
“Mayor Ducey won on the campaign promise to get rid of the red light cameras, and as promised, he did,” Nase said, “Mayor Crate will lose her next election for bringing these far more evasive cameras into our communities.”
Other nearby residents disagreed with one another on whether the cameras were invasive of privacy.
(Photo Credit: Alexis Nigro, Nextdoor)
Nationally, the criticism and backlash of Flock cameras have led to them being hit with vehicles and bats, cut down and paint splattered over them.
To add to or correct any information in this report, please contact me at alexis.n@lead4earth.org.
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