PAXTON, Ill. (WCIA) — More license plate readers are coming to the City of Paxton.

Our newspaper partners with the Ford County Chronicle reported that Paxton Police Chief Coy Cornett got the city council’s approval last week to double the number of Flock license plate readers in the city.

The council voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve a new contract for the solar-powered, motion-activated cameras that track passing cars’ rear licenses and can alert on-duty police if a vehicle is connected to someone associated with a crime.

In the contract, the police department will pay $12,000 a year to lease the cameras (or $3,000) for the next four years. They will also pay $3,200 to install the cameras.

Four cameras were installed in 2023. Cornett said they’ve helped the police department solve crimes, including several gas station thefts and batteries, as well as their sting operation against child predators.

The new cameras will be installed on the edge of town on the following streets: South Stockholm Road, North American Street, South Vermilion Street and the southbound Interstate 57 offramp. The current cameras are located at the northbound I-57 offramp, U.S. 45 just north of the police department, Illinois 9 just east of Stockholm Road, and U.S. 45 just south of Green Street.

More information on the city’s partnership with Flock can be found on the Ford County Chronicle’s website.