Mount Prospect Police hosts Beat 3170 spring meeting at Frost

Officer Mark Bechtold, community relations officer for the Mount Prospect Police Department, presents during the Beat 3170 spring meeting at Frost Elementary School on May 22.

Internet safety, the human services department and an upcoming neighborhood camera system were the topics of discussion at the Mount Prospect Police Department’s Beat 3170 spring meeting at Frost Elementary School on May 22.

The police department is divided into six beats, with 3170 as the northernmost (which includes Frost). During the meeting, which included introductions from all shifts and specialized departments, attendees were advised to not allow children to take their phones, tablets or computers into their bedrooms at night, as well as to establish healthy boundaries.

They were also advised that, after reporting an internet-related incident to the school or police, to save the screenshots or text threads and not engage with the offending party.

Attendees also received an overview of the village’s human services department, which many communities do not have. The department offers a number of services at no cost to residents of Mount Prospect, including a food pantry at village hall, a public benefit assistance program, a lending closet, a public health nurse, the Community Connection Center, and on-call social workers.

Sgt. William Ryan, the 3170 beat sergeant, also highlighted that the department is working with Flock to install a neighborhood camera system. There will be 24 license plate reader cameras, along with one mobile camera if there is a hotspot. The video, rather than looking for people, will be focused on cars and license plates.

The cameras are not hidden but will also not be publicized, and they are not intended to be used for traffic reinforcement or red light cameras.  The police department shared that Mount Prospect continues to be a safe community with many resources.