Update: October 27, 2022
Night example photos, illustrating the signs' EXTREME attention-getting reflective ability
by TrailMark HOA Board member Bill Kuenning
TRAILMARK WARNING:
FLOCK CAMERAS AND COMMUNITY SAFETY - UPDATE
■ POSSIBLE NEFARIOUS ACTIVITIES
Here, at the beginning of Fall, there is an uptick in nefarious activity in the surrounding communities, and it will assuredly try to spread into TrailMark.
Examples -of these criminal activities are:
● Drive-through "casing" of neighborhoods or specific vehicles,
● Stealing cars -for export, for parts to re-sell, or to be used in crimes,
● Sealing cars for destructive "joy-rides" -especially Hyundais and Kias,
● Hijacking cars,
● Breaking into cars and garages,
● Stealing catalytic converters,
● Stealing the copper/brass standing pipes of sprinkler systems,
● Stealing power tools,
● Stealing lawn decorations,
● Taking anything saleable from front and backyards...........
● And of course, drive-by, rapid break-in-grab-and-runs.
FORTUNATELY, TrailMark has not been a high crime target area, in the past.
Nevertheless, criminal incidents are on the rise, and whereas TrailMark's isolation was a plus, in the past, our unique location may only now encourage criminal activities.
■ WHAT THE BOARD HAS DONE
Your Board has developed a new and growing close relationship with the Littleton Police Department -through a unique initiative -for a more informed and safe TrailMark, immediately and sustainably in the future.
Your Board, and our great Committees, are developing ever-improving communications with our Residents.
For example, the Board informs TrailMark about appropriate avenues of reporting what we all see -and hear, that seems out of place in TrailMark.
The Board is installing many large, quality, highly reflective signs saying, "NOTICE, 24/7 PHOTO RECORDING, Protected by Flock Safety" -all along TrailMark Parkway. These new signs are so we better communicate -about our Flock Systems, to would-be criminals, who come into TrailMark, day or night.
The Board's commitment is to make it very clear to anyone entering, moving through and exiting TrailMark that photos of their vehicles are always taken.
TRAILMARK'S FLOCK SYSTEMS
Here in TrailMark, we are fortunately on the forefront, as vanguards, in having our 24/7 Flock license plate photo systems -both entering and exiting our Community. Even if a criminal drives into the Community via the exit, their vehicle will be photographed (and in that case they would be facing the camera; so, they will be photographed as well as their vehicle).
As you know, Flock only photographs the rear ends of cars and their license plates, in order to catalogue those vehicles' characteristics and the times they enter and exit TrailMark.
The Flock systems are not panaceas, and in these early days of our new Flock capabilities, Flock is building a database of vehicles, entering and exiting TrailMark.
That database turns every 30 days; however, if there are suspect times of criminal activity, in TrailMark, Law Enforcement can request that vehicle photos, taken around those nefarious activities' times, be saved for them, indefinitely.
In this way, Law Enforcement is able to build a clearer understanding of vehicles, which frequent TrailMark, often and at times that crimes or suspect behaviors occur.
This means that the longer that our Flock Systems are operational, the more robust of a data tool they will become, and the more Law Enforcement will learn and use the data searches to investigate possible stolen vehicles and other crimes.
As a recent example; the LPD was told about a suspicious vehicle, which came through TrailMark very late at night. The reporting party gave the exact times the vehicle entered and left our Community, and great descriptions.
The LPD searched Flock and found that the vehicle had come into, and left, TrailMark many times, late at night.
The LPD was able to determine who owned the vehicle and found that the vehicle was making legitimate deliveries here, to a Resident. Without the Flock database of this vehicle's multiple movements into TrailMark, it would not have been possible to rapidly and as comprehensively clear the vehicle by the LPD.
The same is true for vehicles that come and go, which are not those of Residents and which are not noticed. Their photos are taken each time, and if they are ever associated with a crime, at a certain time, in TrailMark, the ability to search back for them in previous excustions, could tie them to other crimes, which had previously occurred.
Therefore, even though TrailMark is in the early stages of having Flock, and the LPD is coming up to speed on using it, valuable data on vehicles is flowing into the Flock database -for any jurisdiction to search.
ADVERTISING FLOCK FOR DETERENCE
Flock is also an incredible deterrent, but as we know, if the criminals do not know that we have these threatening-to-them Flock Systems, then those Flock Systems cannot be very effective deterrents. Our Flock Systems are always building the database. However, if we do not more effectively advertise their existence -especially at night, we miss out on the effective Flock repellant effect of intimidating would-be-criminal activity.
The Board knows this fact, and various Residents had voiced their concerns that our Flock signage did not help anyone to know that our Flock Systems even exist, because they just were not readable -day or night.
This is the reason that the Board is beginning to post the larger, highly reflective Flock announcement signs -up and down TrailMark Parkway.
These signs are readily readable-both day and night.
The Board is committed to making sure that everyone, who drives our streets, clearly knows about our Flock 24/7 Photo Systems.
The Board agrees with many of our fellow Residents that anyone entering, exiting, or driving through TrailMark, day or night, needs to be clearly informed, and reminded -multiple times, about our Flock systems.
These signs are large enough, and numerous enough, to be easily read, and hard to ignore, especially at night, but not so large as to be obtrusive to our Community aesthetic, during daylight hours.
Another reason for placing numerous signs, up and down the Parkway, is to continually remind would-be nefarious visitors that our Flock systems protect our entire Community.
The new signs, which are placed on the outgoing Parkway side, are there to impress upon nefarious individuals -who are scouting our Community, that their vehicles have already been photographed.
[KINDLY NOTE: Our Flock cameras take photos 24/7 and are just as effective day or night. They do not require additional white light during the night.]
■ WHAT YOU CAN DO
● Reporting:
We are encouraging Residents to report any incidents, or strange activities, DIRECTLY to the Littleton Police Department.
In this way, the LPD can build a far better picture of the threatening trends, safety concerns, and anomalies, here in TrailMark.
Let the LPD decide what is important.
● Report what you see, and always MARK THE TIME and as many details that you can retain and report.
● Register your vehicles for the TrailMark Flock "Safe List", which helps the LPD eliminate our Resident's vehicles from data searches, making the Jurisdictions' data searches and culling far more efficient.
● Photograph all your possessions, mark them, and take photos of their serial numbers; so, if they are stolen, you can uniquely identify them and get them back, if found.
A photograph of the possession, showing its condition, and a personal, unique detail, like you etched somewhere not obvious, will help the LPD and your insurance company.
The unfortunate reality is that most folks cannot get their stolen property back, if found, because, ironically, they cannot prove it is theirs.
We hope to mitigate theft, here in TrailMark, but we also want our Residents to have a chance of getting back any of their property, if stolen and located, by the authorities.
● Know your TrailMark:
Here, we have at least 4000 eyes and 4000 ears, which completely cover TrailMark, every day.
● Notice your environment, and get to know your neighbors. TrailMark is a beautiful, quiet place; however, if you wish to talk to fellow Residents, TrailMark is also a very friendly place.
● Education:
We encourage all TrailMark Residents to go through the LPD's "Citizen Police Academy". They hold these Academies two or three times-a-year. Anyone can register.
The classes are a lot of fun and incredibly detailed concerning how the Littleton Police Department operates, at every level.
● Ask the Board, Four Seasons Management Company, and Littleton Police questions:
The TrailMark Board of Directors, our great Management Company -Four Seasons, and the LPD, are happy to field any questions, at any time, which you have about TrailMark, in general, or about safety.
● Visit the TrailMark HOA website:
There, you will find an incredible array of useful information, newsletters, articles, guidelines and forms.
On the website, check out the link to the Flock FAQ's, which comprehensively answers a wide variety of questions about our Flock Systems. These are definitive answers, and many disspell misconceptions about our great Flock Systems and their increasing values.
● Stay Informed:
Make sure that the HOA has your email address, etc.; so, you can be notified of TrailMark concerns, and so you can receive and read TrailMark's unique and informative monthly Newsletter.
● Learn what your HOA really does. Rumors never do justice to all their hard work -for the Community.
The more we all communicate with our concerns, ideas, and facts, the safer we will be.
● Get involved:
Volunteer to help the HOA and your fellow Residents.
Join the Board or one of our great Committees.
Make suggestions. Your suggestions may have been made before, by others, but everyone's perspective is welcomed and helpful.
■ WHAT TO EXPECT FROM FLOCK AND THE LPD
As we mature our Flock Systems, please keep in mind that every incident reported to the LPD is important to the LPD, even if they do not have the details or resources to pursue them.
The LPD can only do as well as the quality and depth of the information they receive.
When the LPD tells you that they will not pursue an incident, that does not mean that they do not care. There just is not enough substance to justify their limited resources to pursue the issue.
As well, this does not mean that more evidence will not surface, or that similar reported incidents will not lead to solving your incident.
The Board is determined to make TrailMark exemplar of a progressive community working closely with the LPD; so, innovation and collaboration can make a sustainable safety difference, here.
■■■■ To that great end, you might consider:
● Make you, your home, and your property safer:
■■■■■■ Below, review some Examples of Logical Safety Steps, which one might consider taking, to address a variety of Resident concerns:
LOGICAL SAFETY STEPS
■■■ Kindly Note: These suggestions are only put forward as approaches/actions, which some folks take -with mitigating risks in mind, AND with the intent to be safer.
The HOA does not endorse any of these actions or imply that taking such actions, will result in a safer Resident and/or property.
MAKING YOUR PROPERTY SAFER
[Here are some suggestions to think about, not to make you paranoid but to get you to think about being proactive in your home and community safety. It is likely that you already do many of these and that you have additional thoughts.]
LIST:
Always lock your vehicles.
Lock your car doors, when you go through a car wash, because -carjackers will attack you in the wash-bay.
Garage your vehicle, if possible.
Keep plenty of light on your vehicles, use your porch lights, and light up all sides of the house. Use LED dusk-to-dawn bulbs; so, you can leave their switches on 24/7. Thieves use exterior lights to gage when folks are not at home.
Use a house alarm system and post the signs on all sides of your home.
Utilize web-based cameras to identify motion around your house. These can be monitored by you, from anywhere you travel. There are inexpensive ones on the market, like Wyze, and expensive cameras, which can be integrated into your security system.
Install kill switches on your vehicle's and/or install car tamper alarms.
Use RFID pouches for your transmitting vehicle keys and their spare keys; so, they cannot be scanned, and cloned, from outside of your Residence, or while you are in a store. This is the same reason for keeping credit cards in RFID wallets/purses.
Install extremely bright motion-sensor lights around your property/house. For instance; solar lights, which are 4000 Lumens.
Install window well security, lexan covers, which are releasable from the inside -only (less expensive than metal security gratings and less risk for kids and animals. They also keep the animals and water out).
Make sure that your front door, and porch, are visible from the street.
Install a security door.
Install a kill switch for your garage door opener for night, when you are home, or away for extended periods of time. That way no garage door opener can open your garage, ever.
Install a 2x4 bar across the inside of your garage outside man-door; so, it cannot be kicked in. This is simple, cheap and highly effective. Also, when you see that the bar is across the door, you know that it is locked.
Always lock the door from your garage to your house.
If a thief could break a window and reach in, to unlock your door, Install a double-keyed deadbolt, and keep the key out of the door.
Lock all windows, and put a stop bar on them, if you want them partially open.
Have escape ladders for each upper-story bedroom.
Install quality anti-slide bars on all sliding doors or pin them with a pin lock.
On particularly vulnerable windows, install inside clear radiant heat laminate, or anti breakthrough laminent. Both make it difficult to quickly bust out a window -for entry.
Close your curtains at night and when you are away.
Use random timed lighting, when you are away.
Reinforce your laundry room door's lock jam, because the outside man-doors are easily kicked in.
Put locks on your exterior utility and cable boxes.
Trim bushes, which obscure any doorways, or windows.
Put a lock on your door to the downstairs.
Make sure that your alarm system has two ways to report to the monitoring company. Example: cable and LTE; so, if one fails the other works.
Make an evacuation plan, with safe meeting areas. Practice that plan.
Have an emergency fire evacuation plan, "go bags", pet carriers, vehicle rapid packing plan, and a rapid gathering plan for valuables -(list and location), all of which can be completely executed in 10 minutes. Practice.
Teach your family to take certain code words immediate directions. For instance, if you say "rocket" before any command, it is absolute, not questioned and instantly followed. Example: if you yell "rocket -run!" it just might keep your kid from saying, "What or why?" and getting crushed, when a branch, or meteor hits them.....
Install smoke/heat and carbon monoxide detectors toward the ceiling in all vulnerable areas.
Have fire extinguishers, in the open, on all levels, and regularly inspect them, on schedule. Put a particle mask, for each family member on each fire extiquisher and in the bedrooms; so, no one chokes, when extinguishers are used or smoke is present. Make sure each family member has been trained on how to use the extinguishers. Fire departments are happy to help guide you with all these preparations.
Make sure that your escape routes have emergency lighting.
Teach your kids how to dial 911, with urgency and have information by the phone that they can just read to the dispatcher.
Make sure that kids have identification on them at all times.
Make sure that you have ways to move elders safely, and rapidly, out of your house, in case of an emergency.
Keep all guns locked up, and become well trained in their use and best practices.
If a policeman, whom you do not know, comes to the door, call the LPD to make sure that they have dispatched one to your home. If you are driving and pulled over, you have the right to call LPD to see if the Officer is legit, and you can drive to a safe location.
If someone is following you, do not lead them to your house. Go to the Fire or Police station.
If someone leaves money under your windshield wiper, for instance when you return to your car, from shopping, lock your doors, like usual, when you get in and do not try to retrieve the money. That is when you are vulnerable to carjacking -an old ploy possibly returning.
Always have great situational awareness, when you are putting your groceries into your vehicle or getting in and out of your vehicle, or when entering/exiting your home, any time.
Have neighbors keep an eye on your property, when you are away.
If you are selling your home, do not authorize virtual tours of your house.
Freeze your credit, with each of the big three credit agencies.
Use random passwords and change them periodically.
Make sure that your home networks are secure.
Set your security protections on social media and on networked cameras, like Ring Doorbells.
Periodically check with the County Clerk's office to make sure that you are not a victim of home title fraud.
WHAT NOT TO DO
● Do not play vigilante.
● Do not try to stop or confront a criminal.
● If you arrive home to find your house door open, NEVER enter the house. Get to a safe place, away from your property, and call 911.
Never let a stranger use your phone or enter your house. Do not even answer the door. If you think they need help, call 911.
Do not click on links and emails, for which you did not specifically request. Always verify accounts by using the phone numbers that you know and never from a text or email.
Do not leave a key, purse, etc. In your unlocked car, any time, even in your garage. Also, lock your car, when you gas up and when you get back in.
Do not hire folks to work on your property, for whom you have not gotten personal references.
Do not post, anywhere -on social media, any personal-type information about you or your whereabouts, habits, activities, upcoming vacations, etc.....,ever.
Do not leave oily rags, cloths or paper in your house, garage, or trash to dry, because spontaneous combustion has burned down many a home.
Never hang your keys in the garage.
Do not assume that a thief will not get in an upper-story window.
You may have gotten away with it for years, but do not hike, run or bike alone, in our foothills, any time, or in the community at night.
Do not let vehicles follow you into our Community, from another location.
Do not leave ladders around, which are not locked.
Never leave an extra house key under the mat or anywhere but in a secure, locked key holder.
Do not let anyone, whose identity you have not verified, into your home. Do not even open the door for them. TrailMark is a non-solicitation community. You are under no obligation to answer the door.
Never leave anything of value in your vehicle.
Never leave garage door openers in your vehicles.
Think.
REMEMBER; thieves will return -later, to properties they previously robbed, because they know that the owners have likely replaced their stolen stuff.
Do not ignore the unusual or become complacent.
Share your ideas, and call the LPD, when you see something that does not feel right.
TRAILMARK WARNING:
FLOCK CAMERAS AND COMMUNITY SAFETY - UPDATE
■ POSSIBLE NEFARIOUS ACTIVITIES
Here, at the beginning of Fall, there is an uptick in nefarious activity in the surrounding communities, and it will assuredly try to spread into TrailMark.
Examples -of these criminal activities are:
● Drive-through "casing" of neighborhoods or specific vehicles,
● Stealing cars -for export, for parts to re-sell, or to be used in crimes,
● Sealing cars for destructive "joy-rides" -especially Hyundais and Kias,
● Hijacking cars,
● Breaking into cars and garages,
● Stealing catalytic converters,
● Stealing the copper/brass standing pipes of sprinkler systems,
● Stealing power tools,
● Stealing lawn decorations,
● Taking anything saleable from front and backyards...........
● And of course, drive-by, rapid break-in-grab-and-runs.
FORTUNATELY, TrailMark has not been a high crime target area, in the past.
Nevertheless, criminal incidents are on the rise, and whereas TrailMark's isolation was a plus, in the past, our unique location may only now encourage criminal activities.
■ WHAT THE BOARD HAS DONE
Your Board has developed a new and growing close relationship with the Littleton Police Department -through a unique initiative -for a more informed and safe TrailMark, immediately and sustainably in the future.
Your Board, and our great Committees, are developing ever-improving communications with our Residents.
For example, the Board informs TrailMark about appropriate avenues of reporting what we all see -and hear, that seems out of place in TrailMark.
The Board is installing many large, quality, highly reflective signs saying, "NOTICE, 24/7 PHOTO RECORDING, Protected by Flock Safety" -all along TrailMark Parkway. These new signs are so we better communicate -about our Flock Systems, to would-be criminals, who come into TrailMark, day or night.
The Board's commitment is to make it very clear to anyone entering, moving through and exiting TrailMark that photos of their vehicles are always taken.
TRAILMARK'S FLOCK SYSTEMS
Here in TrailMark, we are fortunately on the forefront, as vanguards, in having our 24/7 Flock license plate photo systems -both entering and exiting our Community. Even if a criminal drives into the Community via the exit, their vehicle will be photographed (and in that case they would be facing the camera; so, they will be photographed as well as their vehicle).
As you know, Flock only photographs the rear ends of cars and their license plates, in order to catalogue those vehicles' characteristics and the times they enter and exit TrailMark.
The Flock systems are not panaceas, and in these early days of our new Flock capabilities, Flock is building a database of vehicles, entering and exiting TrailMark.
That database turns every 30 days; however, if there are suspect times of criminal activity, in TrailMark, Law Enforcement can request that vehicle photos, taken around those nefarious activities' times, be saved for them, indefinitely.
In this way, Law Enforcement is able to build a clearer understanding of vehicles, which frequent TrailMark, often and at times that crimes or suspect behaviors occur.
This means that the longer that our Flock Systems are operational, the more robust of a data tool they will become, and the more Law Enforcement will learn and use the data searches to investigate possible stolen vehicles and other crimes.
As a recent example; the LPD was told about a suspicious vehicle, which came through TrailMark very late at night. The reporting party gave the exact times the vehicle entered and left our Community, and great descriptions.
The LPD searched Flock and found that the vehicle had come into, and left, TrailMark many times, late at night.
The LPD was able to determine who owned the vehicle and found that the vehicle was making legitimate deliveries here, to a Resident. Without the Flock database of this vehicle's multiple movements into TrailMark, it would not have been possible to rapidly and as comprehensively clear the vehicle by the LPD.
The same is true for vehicles that come and go, which are not those of Residents and which are not noticed. Their photos are taken each time, and if they are ever associated with a crime, at a certain time, in TrailMark, the ability to search back for them in previous excustions, could tie them to other crimes, which had previously occurred.
Therefore, even though TrailMark is in the early stages of having Flock, and the LPD is coming up to speed on using it, valuable data on vehicles is flowing into the Flock database -for any jurisdiction to search.
ADVERTISING FLOCK FOR DETERENCE
Flock is also an incredible deterrent, but as we know, if the criminals do not know that we have these threatening-to-them Flock Systems, then those Flock Systems cannot be very effective deterrents. Our Flock Systems are always building the database. However, if we do not more effectively advertise their existence -especially at night, we miss out on the effective Flock repellant effect of intimidating would-be-criminal activity.
The Board knows this fact, and various Residents had voiced their concerns that our Flock signage did not help anyone to know that our Flock Systems even exist, because they just were not readable -day or night.
This is the reason that the Board is beginning to post the larger, highly reflective Flock announcement signs -up and down TrailMark Parkway.
These signs are readily readable-both day and night.
The Board is committed to making sure that everyone, who drives our streets, clearly knows about our Flock 24/7 Photo Systems.
The Board agrees with many of our fellow Residents that anyone entering, exiting, or driving through TrailMark, day or night, needs to be clearly informed, and reminded -multiple times, about our Flock systems.
These signs are large enough, and numerous enough, to be easily read, and hard to ignore, especially at night, but not so large as to be obtrusive to our Community aesthetic, during daylight hours.
Another reason for placing numerous signs, up and down the Parkway, is to continually remind would-be nefarious visitors that our Flock systems protect our entire Community.
The new signs, which are placed on the outgoing Parkway side, are there to impress upon nefarious individuals -who are scouting our Community, that their vehicles have already been photographed.
[KINDLY NOTE: Our Flock cameras take photos 24/7 and are just as effective day or night. They do not require additional white light during the night.]
■ WHAT YOU CAN DO
● Reporting:
We are encouraging Residents to report any incidents, or strange activities, DIRECTLY to the Littleton Police Department.
In this way, the LPD can build a far better picture of the threatening trends, safety concerns, and anomalies, here in TrailMark.
Let the LPD decide what is important.
● Report what you see, and always MARK THE TIME and as many details that you can retain and report.
● Register your vehicles for the TrailMark Flock "Safe List", which helps the LPD eliminate our Resident's vehicles from data searches, making the Jurisdictions' data searches and culling far more efficient.
● Photograph all your possessions, mark them, and take photos of their serial numbers; so, if they are stolen, you can uniquely identify them and get them back, if found.
A photograph of the possession, showing its condition, and a personal, unique detail, like you etched somewhere not obvious, will help the LPD and your insurance company.
The unfortunate reality is that most folks cannot get their stolen property back, if found, because, ironically, they cannot prove it is theirs.
We hope to mitigate theft, here in TrailMark, but we also want our Residents to have a chance of getting back any of their property, if stolen and located, by the authorities.
● Know your TrailMark:
Here, we have at least 4000 eyes and 4000 ears, which completely cover TrailMark, every day.
● Notice your environment, and get to know your neighbors. TrailMark is a beautiful, quiet place; however, if you wish to talk to fellow Residents, TrailMark is also a very friendly place.
● Education:
We encourage all TrailMark Residents to go through the LPD's "Citizen Police Academy". They hold these Academies two or three times-a-year. Anyone can register.
The classes are a lot of fun and incredibly detailed concerning how the Littleton Police Department operates, at every level.
● Ask the Board, Four Seasons Management Company, and Littleton Police questions:
The TrailMark Board of Directors, our great Management Company -Four Seasons, and the LPD, are happy to field any questions, at any time, which you have about TrailMark, in general, or about safety.
● Visit the TrailMark HOA website:
There, you will find an incredible array of useful information, newsletters, articles, guidelines and forms.
On the website, check out the link to the Flock FAQ's, which comprehensively answers a wide variety of questions about our Flock Systems. These are definitive answers, and many disspell misconceptions about our great Flock Systems and their increasing values.
● Stay Informed:
Make sure that the HOA has your email address, etc.; so, you can be notified of TrailMark concerns, and so you can receive and read TrailMark's unique and informative monthly Newsletter.
● Learn what your HOA really does. Rumors never do justice to all their hard work -for the Community.
The more we all communicate with our concerns, ideas, and facts, the safer we will be.
● Get involved:
Volunteer to help the HOA and your fellow Residents.
Join the Board or one of our great Committees.
Make suggestions. Your suggestions may have been made before, by others, but everyone's perspective is welcomed and helpful.
■ WHAT TO EXPECT FROM FLOCK AND THE LPD
As we mature our Flock Systems, please keep in mind that every incident reported to the LPD is important to the LPD, even if they do not have the details or resources to pursue them.
The LPD can only do as well as the quality and depth of the information they receive.
When the LPD tells you that they will not pursue an incident, that does not mean that they do not care. There just is not enough substance to justify their limited resources to pursue the issue.
As well, this does not mean that more evidence will not surface, or that similar reported incidents will not lead to solving your incident.
The Board is determined to make TrailMark exemplar of a progressive community working closely with the LPD; so, innovation and collaboration can make a sustainable safety difference, here.
■■■■ To that great end, you might consider:
● Make you, your home, and your property safer:
■■■■■■ Below, review some Examples of Logical Safety Steps, which one might consider taking, to address a variety of Resident concerns:
LOGICAL SAFETY STEPS
■■■ Kindly Note: These suggestions are only put forward as approaches/actions, which some folks take -with mitigating risks in mind, AND with the intent to be safer.
The HOA does not endorse any of these actions or imply that taking such actions, will result in a safer Resident and/or property.
MAKING YOUR PROPERTY SAFER
[Here are some suggestions to think about, not to make you paranoid but to get you to think about being proactive in your home and community safety. It is likely that you already do many of these and that you have additional thoughts.]
LIST:
Always lock your vehicles.
Lock your car doors, when you go through a car wash, because -carjackers will attack you in the wash-bay.
Garage your vehicle, if possible.
Keep plenty of light on your vehicles, use your porch lights, and light up all sides of the house. Use LED dusk-to-dawn bulbs; so, you can leave their switches on 24/7. Thieves use exterior lights to gage when folks are not at home.
Use a house alarm system and post the signs on all sides of your home.
Utilize web-based cameras to identify motion around your house. These can be monitored by you, from anywhere you travel. There are inexpensive ones on the market, like Wyze, and expensive cameras, which can be integrated into your security system.
Install kill switches on your vehicle's and/or install car tamper alarms.
Use RFID pouches for your transmitting vehicle keys and their spare keys; so, they cannot be scanned, and cloned, from outside of your Residence, or while you are in a store. This is the same reason for keeping credit cards in RFID wallets/purses.
Install extremely bright motion-sensor lights around your property/house. For instance; solar lights, which are 4000 Lumens.
Install window well security, lexan covers, which are releasable from the inside -only (less expensive than metal security gratings and less risk for kids and animals. They also keep the animals and water out).
Make sure that your front door, and porch, are visible from the street.
Install a security door.
Install a kill switch for your garage door opener for night, when you are home, or away for extended periods of time. That way no garage door opener can open your garage, ever.
Install a 2x4 bar across the inside of your garage outside man-door; so, it cannot be kicked in. This is simple, cheap and highly effective. Also, when you see that the bar is across the door, you know that it is locked.
Always lock the door from your garage to your house.
If a thief could break a window and reach in, to unlock your door, Install a double-keyed deadbolt, and keep the key out of the door.
Lock all windows, and put a stop bar on them, if you want them partially open.
Have escape ladders for each upper-story bedroom.
Install quality anti-slide bars on all sliding doors or pin them with a pin lock.
On particularly vulnerable windows, install inside clear radiant heat laminate, or anti breakthrough laminent. Both make it difficult to quickly bust out a window -for entry.
Close your curtains at night and when you are away.
Use random timed lighting, when you are away.
Reinforce your laundry room door's lock jam, because the outside man-doors are easily kicked in.
Put locks on your exterior utility and cable boxes.
Trim bushes, which obscure any doorways, or windows.
Put a lock on your door to the downstairs.
Make sure that your alarm system has two ways to report to the monitoring company. Example: cable and LTE; so, if one fails the other works.
Make an evacuation plan, with safe meeting areas. Practice that plan.
Have an emergency fire evacuation plan, "go bags", pet carriers, vehicle rapid packing plan, and a rapid gathering plan for valuables -(list and location), all of which can be completely executed in 10 minutes. Practice.
Teach your family to take certain code words immediate directions. For instance, if you say "rocket" before any command, it is absolute, not questioned and instantly followed. Example: if you yell "rocket -run!" it just might keep your kid from saying, "What or why?" and getting crushed, when a branch, or meteor hits them.....
Install smoke/heat and carbon monoxide detectors toward the ceiling in all vulnerable areas.
Have fire extinguishers, in the open, on all levels, and regularly inspect them, on schedule. Put a particle mask, for each family member on each fire extiquisher and in the bedrooms; so, no one chokes, when extinguishers are used or smoke is present. Make sure each family member has been trained on how to use the extinguishers. Fire departments are happy to help guide you with all these preparations.
Make sure that your escape routes have emergency lighting.
Teach your kids how to dial 911, with urgency and have information by the phone that they can just read to the dispatcher.
Make sure that kids have identification on them at all times.
Make sure that you have ways to move elders safely, and rapidly, out of your house, in case of an emergency.
Keep all guns locked up, and become well trained in their use and best practices.
If a policeman, whom you do not know, comes to the door, call the LPD to make sure that they have dispatched one to your home. If you are driving and pulled over, you have the right to call LPD to see if the Officer is legit, and you can drive to a safe location.
If someone is following you, do not lead them to your house. Go to the Fire or Police station.
If someone leaves money under your windshield wiper, for instance when you return to your car, from shopping, lock your doors, like usual, when you get in and do not try to retrieve the money. That is when you are vulnerable to carjacking -an old ploy possibly returning.
Always have great situational awareness, when you are putting your groceries into your vehicle or getting in and out of your vehicle, or when entering/exiting your home, any time.
Have neighbors keep an eye on your property, when you are away.
If you are selling your home, do not authorize virtual tours of your house.
Freeze your credit, with each of the big three credit agencies.
Use random passwords and change them periodically.
Make sure that your home networks are secure.
Set your security protections on social media and on networked cameras, like Ring Doorbells.
Periodically check with the County Clerk's office to make sure that you are not a victim of home title fraud.
WHAT NOT TO DO
● Do not play vigilante.
● Do not try to stop or confront a criminal.
● If you arrive home to find your house door open, NEVER enter the house. Get to a safe place, away from your property, and call 911.
Never let a stranger use your phone or enter your house. Do not even answer the door. If you think they need help, call 911.
Do not click on links and emails, for which you did not specifically request. Always verify accounts by using the phone numbers that you know and never from a text or email.
Do not leave a key, purse, etc. In your unlocked car, any time, even in your garage. Also, lock your car, when you gas up and when you get back in.
Do not hire folks to work on your property, for whom you have not gotten personal references.
Do not post, anywhere -on social media, any personal-type information about you or your whereabouts, habits, activities, upcoming vacations, etc.....,ever.
Do not leave oily rags, cloths or paper in your house, garage, or trash to dry, because spontaneous combustion has burned down many a home.
Never hang your keys in the garage.
Do not assume that a thief will not get in an upper-story window.
You may have gotten away with it for years, but do not hike, run or bike alone, in our foothills, any time, or in the community at night.
Do not let vehicles follow you into our Community, from another location.
Do not leave ladders around, which are not locked.
Never leave an extra house key under the mat or anywhere but in a secure, locked key holder.
Do not let anyone, whose identity you have not verified, into your home. Do not even open the door for them. TrailMark is a non-solicitation community. You are under no obligation to answer the door.
Never leave anything of value in your vehicle.
Never leave garage door openers in your vehicles.
Think.
REMEMBER; thieves will return -later, to properties they previously robbed, because they know that the owners have likely replaced their stolen stuff.
Do not ignore the unusual or become complacent.
Share your ideas, and call the LPD, when you see something that does not feel right.
Update: August 3, 2022
by TrailMark HOA Board member Bill Kuenning
BACKGROUND
The TrailMark Board of Directors is pleased to announce their unanimous vote to become a community participating in the national vehicle identification camera data network, known as "Flock".
The two Flock systems have now been installed, at the entrance and exit of our Community, and they are fully functional.
BOARD'S CAREFUL DECISION FOR PRIVACY AND DETERRENT VALUE
The Board’s Flock systems decision was made, after carefully and appropriately disarming the areas of vulnerabilities and risks that are natural thoughts for anyone, including the Board, when such a system is contemplated. Potential privacy issue concerns, were examined for validity and addressed in the system’s final evaluations.
Note: The Board was only interested in License Plate photo camera systems and not in real-time surveillance systems, or License Plate photo capture systems, which could be abused to be real-time surveillance systems.
Flock systems were nationally networked -for vehicle identification, preferred by the Littleton Police Department, could be set up to not be abused -or appear as such, and were Flock-restricted to only capture the rear ends of vehicles and never the vehicle occupants.
The Board was determined to make sure that no one but Law Enforcement had access to the Flock-Generated data and that no identifying images of individuals in their vehicles could be taken, as well as no information -beyond the details of the back of the vehicles be part of any data av available to Law Enforcement. Flock erased all data every 30 days (Any currently investigation-specific data, could be retained bylaw Enforcement longer than 30 days.
The Board even asked if Flock would photograph the fronts of vehicles, if asked to do so. Flock’s firm policy answer was, “Under no circumstances would a Flock system be allowed to photograph the fronts of vehicles.” Their such policy was the assurance that the Board needed to consider Flock.
The Board recognized that video capture systems have been abused -in purpose and practice, by some HOA’s or security zealots, who thought that surveilling their fellow residents would be a good idea. In Flock’s case, only photos, and not video, were accessible by those misguided HOA’s and security zealots, who were consequently exposed for their attempted “surveillance” practices. Other brand systems had allowed actual real-time surveillance by misguided parties.
A critically important characteristic of the Flock systems is that the photos and generated License Plate data are only accessible to those to which the Client allows access. That means that the client can restrict all access to the Flock photos and data -including themselves, the Client. The Board chose the Flock systems for the Client’s (TrailMark’s) ability to get the Flock Systems set up and then lock everyone, but Law Enforcement, out of the Flock Systems’ photos and data access. The Board recognized that the photos and generated vehicle data were of no use to anyone but Law Enforcement. Nevertheless, restricting access to those photos and data needed to be part of the License Plate capturing systems, because there is a lot of video capture systems’ abuse valid and misinformation, out there. The Board agreed that TrailMark Residents needed to be justifiably confident in the security of their Flock Systems.
The Board is as concerned as anyone, about the security, privacy and safety of anyone, by especially TrailMark Residents -our neighbors. Residents should not assume anything else, as the Board's track record -for years, has clearly illustrated its hard work, concern, empathy and researched decisions for TrailMark Residents and their personal and properties' protection. This statement is not in defense of the Board. It is just fact.
BACKGROUND
The TrailMark Board of Directors is pleased to announce their unanimous vote to become a community participating in the national vehicle identification camera data network, known as "Flock".
The two Flock systems have now been installed, at the entrance and exit of our Community, and they are fully functional.
BOARD'S CAREFUL DECISION FOR PRIVACY AND DETERRENT VALUE
The Board’s Flock systems decision was made, after carefully and appropriately disarming the areas of vulnerabilities and risks that are natural thoughts for anyone, including the Board, when such a system is contemplated. Potential privacy issue concerns, were examined for validity and addressed in the system’s final evaluations.
Note: The Board was only interested in License Plate photo camera systems and not in real-time surveillance systems, or License Plate photo capture systems, which could be abused to be real-time surveillance systems.
Flock systems were nationally networked -for vehicle identification, preferred by the Littleton Police Department, could be set up to not be abused -or appear as such, and were Flock-restricted to only capture the rear ends of vehicles and never the vehicle occupants.
The Board was determined to make sure that no one but Law Enforcement had access to the Flock-Generated data and that no identifying images of individuals in their vehicles could be taken, as well as no information -beyond the details of the back of the vehicles be part of any data av available to Law Enforcement. Flock erased all data every 30 days (Any currently investigation-specific data, could be retained bylaw Enforcement longer than 30 days.
The Board even asked if Flock would photograph the fronts of vehicles, if asked to do so. Flock’s firm policy answer was, “Under no circumstances would a Flock system be allowed to photograph the fronts of vehicles.” Their such policy was the assurance that the Board needed to consider Flock.
The Board recognized that video capture systems have been abused -in purpose and practice, by some HOA’s or security zealots, who thought that surveilling their fellow residents would be a good idea. In Flock’s case, only photos, and not video, were accessible by those misguided HOA’s and security zealots, who were consequently exposed for their attempted “surveillance” practices. Other brand systems had allowed actual real-time surveillance by misguided parties.
A critically important characteristic of the Flock systems is that the photos and generated License Plate data are only accessible to those to which the Client allows access. That means that the client can restrict all access to the Flock photos and data -including themselves, the Client. The Board chose the Flock systems for the Client’s (TrailMark’s) ability to get the Flock Systems set up and then lock everyone, but Law Enforcement, out of the Flock Systems’ photos and data access. The Board recognized that the photos and generated vehicle data were of no use to anyone but Law Enforcement. Nevertheless, restricting access to those photos and data needed to be part of the License Plate capturing systems, because there is a lot of video capture systems’ abuse valid and misinformation, out there. The Board agreed that TrailMark Residents needed to be justifiably confident in the security of their Flock Systems.
The Board is as concerned as anyone, about the security, privacy and safety of anyone, by especially TrailMark Residents -our neighbors. Residents should not assume anything else, as the Board's track record -for years, has clearly illustrated its hard work, concern, empathy and researched decisions for TrailMark Residents and their personal and properties' protection. This statement is not in defense of the Board. It is just fact.
FAQ's regarding Flock Cameras in TrailMark
by TrailMark HOA board member Bill Kuenning
[Kindly note: I am a Member of the Board and have addressed these topics and questions as both "The Board" and "we". There may also be some redundancies, in order to address ancillary issues. Some FAQ’s are paraphrased for clarity.]
WHAT GOT THE BOARD STARTED ON EVALUATING THE FLOCK SYSTEMS?
At the last 4 (now) public Board meetings, I have specifically mentioned our Board's TrailMark/Littleton Police Department long-term Initiative -of both entities working together, to come up with strategies for how to better protect Residents, and their property values.
Obviously, having TrailMark Residents report all suspect, and criminal, activities, to the LPD, is a major, critical factor of our on-running initiative to protect the value of our Community initiative, and Fock became an important enhancement to that deterrent approach.
We continue exploring a broad spectrum of possibilities that are both feasible and affordable, all to avoid, and/or mitigate the kinds of potential threats we face, and might face, here and in the surrounding communities.
During every Public Board Meeting, I report on any relevant Initiative progress. In fact, as part of that Initiative, the LPD strongly suggested that TrailMark look into deploying Flock Systems. The Board chose to look into those recommended Flock systems,
The Flock Systems are an important, positive step in that "Initiative". The Board is pleased to have taken this LPD's recommended, Flock crime deterrent step, for TrailMark, to help protect our property, before we experience criminals seriously discovering our desirable Community.
WHY NO PUBLIC FORUMS OR SURVEYS ABOUT THIS SUBJECT?
The Board of Directors was elected by the Community Owner/Residents to act on their behalf for the appropriate good of the community, as directed by the Bylaws.
All of this volunteer work is taken seriously and never in a vacuum.
The Board is charged with protecting the qualities and property values of TrailMark’s singular community and and the finding solutions, or mitigations to immediate, anticipated, trending, future, and logical problems.
These issues cannot involve making them needlessly long and drawn out, unless they have irreversible impact on the Community -like Annual Budgets.
For instance, the Flock systems came out of a 2022 Safer Community Initiative, which the Board has undertaken with the Littleton Police Department to work toward a better preparatory strategy for TrailMark Safety.
In the past decades, municipal strategy for protecting TrailMark has been mostly one of "you call, we respond". This low-level strategy has been driven mostly by low incidents reported in TrailMark, no LPD line-budget funding -from City Council, to assign more patrols to TrailMark, and an ever-increasing lack of enough officer resources.
In the past, our Community has stirred up interest in having a better dialogue, with LPD, however, it takes a lot of effort to keep the Residents engaged in working with the LPD, when in order to get appropriate changes to our Police coverage strategy, City Council has to approve the resources, and that takes time and advocacy.
Your Board is now committed to a lasting collaboration with the Littleton Police Department. The Goal is to develop innovative strategies to protect our Community.
This safety initiative is intended not to sunset, due to temporary, or no, action, as in the past.
The Board coordinated with the LPD concerning their suggestion of a Flock-level system to help in so many ways to deter crime coming to TrailMark.
Basically, between their research and ours, it was clear that the Flock systems had no real equals for TrailMark and for the LPD.
The Flock systems were also the only strategy which could help in the crime areas of concern and act as an effective, predictable, ongoing deterrent.
With this information in hand, the Board dove deeply into the Flock systems -to insure TrailMark's Residents' Personal Privacies would be safeguarded, not compromised.
Since obtaining the Flock systems are not an irreversible action, and because the path to Flock was established, clear, safe, protective and justified, the Board decided to vote on it, at the May Public Board Meeting.
The agenda was published, and on May 17, 2022, the Board brought up Flock, and in order to give the public more time to ask questions, the Board tabled the vote for Flock systems, until directly after the Meeting. There were no Public issues, brought up, with the Flock Systems. After the meeting, the Board briefly discussed the Flock systems and voted to install them.
Therefore, the Board accomplished what the Majority of the Residents elected them to do. That was to responsibly represent the welfare, safety, and pulse of the Residents, for any critical decision/action -as the Residents’ trusted, elected Charges.
The Board is still taking input, concerning the Flock systems, and will continue to do so.
[Educating Residents about what we know, and learning what our Residents know, is healthy and an integral part of our strategy to help TrailMark in a fair, equitable, secure and appropriate manner.]
The bottom line is that safety at TrailMark is a dynamic process, and the Board is charged with moving forward with safety and the uncompromising privacy of us all.
The Board has the pulse of the Community, but that will never be absolute. There will always be naysayers, and that is what great communications are developed to keep a broad dialogue going, on any subject.
Everyone, in our Community does not see everything we put out there, or have comparatively researched, and we are always working on ways to increase that awareness. This is why SURVEYS are not used. Their statistics are not a good barometer to all Residents’ concerns and desires.
EVEN THE MOST GUARDED BUSINESSES HAVE SHOWN THAT THEIR/OUR PERSONAL DATA CAN BE BREACHED/HACKED; SO, WHY WOULD FLOCK’S HANDLING OF OUR DATA BE IN ANY LESS JEOPARDY OF PUTTING OUR PERSONAL INFORMATION OUT THERE?
First of all, Flock has never had a security breach, and works to mitigate any such possibility, distinguishing Flock. The Board is satisfied, with those security details.
Second of all, Flock does not collect our Personal Information. Their Flock camera system captures an image of the back of a vehicle, immediately uploads that image to Flock, where it is identified and categorize by the photo of the license plate, with the vehicle characteristics -like: make, model, color, and the vehicle’s distinguishing rear features -even stickers from your kids or vacation. That information gathered is associated, in the Flock vehicle database, with the exact time-stamp, reflecting when that photo capture was made, and is then searchable for Law Enforcement.
No personally identifying information is ever collected, or attached, to Flock’s vehicle characteristic data [unless the vehicle had its owner’s personal information printed on the rear of their vehicle -which would not only be incredibly unlikely, but would seriously negate the owner’s claim of wanting to keep their personal information private]!
Flock cameras only capture still images, and they do not capture images of the vehicles’ occupants.
The Board is as concerned as anyone, about the security, privacy and safety of anyone, by especially TrailMark Residents -our neighbors. Residents should not assume anything else, as the Board's track record -for years, has clearly illustrated its hard work, concern, empathy and researched decisions for TrailMark Residents and their personal and properties' protection.
Flock cannot have a breach of data, which it does not collect. It is that simple. Nevertheless, the photos and generated vehicle characteristics are treated as highly sensitive and valuable data.
On the Flock database, Even Law Enforcement searches for vehicles by characteristics and license plate. They do not utilize the personal data that they may already have outside of the Flock system.
The great part is that TrailMark has a Board, which does not make rash, dangerous or personal-privacy compromising decisions, and personal privacy was the paramount requirement for the Flock systems.
WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL FLOCK DATA TYPES AND THEIR USES?
Flock cameras capture the images of vehicles’ rear ends and License Plates, as they enter and exit out Community. The rear end characteristics of that photo-captured vehicle are instantly transmitted to Flock, and the License Plate and rear-of-the vehicle characteristics (color, make, Model, stickers etc.….) are associated with the captured License Plate, along with the time of capture. This information is placed on Flock’s searchable database.
This data is NOT matched with the owners of the vehicle. Law Enforcement can do that owner-matching, which they would do in the case of a stolen vehicle. The Flock captured vehicle data is placed on Flock’s searchable national vehicle identification camera database network. Law Enforcement agencies can then search that Flock database network for known stolen vehicles, nation-wide, and if that vehicle ever enters or exits a flock camera system, Law Enforcement will be notified in seconds.
Additionally, if a crime is committed, at a certain time, Law Enforcement can search the Flock Data to see what vehicles entered and exited the community, at the relevant times.
WAS THIS FLOCK DECISION JUST A SENSATIONAL, PARANOID, REFLEX DECISION?
As an important example of your Board's approach to these systems, your Board would not entertain bloated, crime-statistic scare tactics. We also got none of this approach from Flock.
The Board did not want to rely on unverifiable, surveillance-supporting claims of crimewaves or hyperboles of success. We got none of those from Flock.
The Board did not write off the value, or risks, of such camera systems just because other Communities badly mishandled their systems or data.
The Board did, however, use the potential abuse of such systems to find out if Flock systems could be set up to eliminate such privacy, or the appearance of privacy risks. Flock was found to have these safeguards.
For instance; it has been reported, to the horror of Residents in many jurisdictions, and to this Board, that community managers and HOA's have the ability to, and do, monitor the data that the systems' cameras generate, and they use the cameras for recorded and real-time surveillance, of their residents!
Every Resident should condemn those practices and the system and management vulnerabilities that could ever allow such abhorrent practices! The Board did not want personal identification data to even be generated -much less stored and relying on an honor system to protect its misuse. The Board found that Flock systems do not incorporate these personal identification vulnerabilities and have safeguards to prevent, for instance, personal identification surveillance data. Flock identifies vehicles, not owners. Law Enforcement only uses the vehicle data, if they are searching for crime-related vehicles. The vehicle data, matched to a license plate keeps, for instance, a criminal, using a stolen license plate from framing a Resident.
TrailMark has no guards, or gates. Nor does Our Community require regulation of who gets in and who gets out. There is not a single Resident, or anyone, who has the need -or the right, to monitor anyone's personal comings and goings.
With the Flock systems, Law Enforcement is allowed to look over the generated data for vehicles stolen or used in an incident, or as a response to any crime, like car theft. Otherwise, the data gathered by Flock is never accessed, until it is deleted 30 days, after it was generated. A specific vehicle's data can only be retained by Law Enforcement, if it is deemed to be evidence, related to a crime.
Your TrailMark Board emphatically specified that once any such system was installed, calibrated, troubleshot, tested, adjusted and fully functional, at TrailMark, that the system will not be accessible by the HOA, Board, HOA Administrator, or anyone other than Law Enforcement and only then with specific occurrences and crimes in mind. Total lock out of the owners is unusual, but the Board felt that if there is no information that the HOA needs, then why have access and appear as though we were doing something wrong. Residents did not request this unprecedented restriction. The Board did.
I HAVE READ THAT INNOCENT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TARGETED BY THE POLICE, BECAUSE THE WERE MISIDENTIFIED, AS THEIR CAR OR PLACE WAS USED IN A CRIMINAL ACT, IS THIS TRUE?
There are anecdotes of such mistakes, but not about Flock’s systems, as we restrict access for TrailMark and how Flock systems operate in their license plate/vehicle characteristics matching.
There are stories -passed around in public forums, and in publications, about these type of camera systems being wrong -in their identification of a vehicle's characteristics or license plates. Indeed, there are terrible such camera systems which could misidentify a vehicle. However, Flock-level systems are of a quality, and stability that they have not been misidentifying vehicles, which could result in the abuse and arrest of the wrong party.
The entire point of carefully matching a vehicle’s characteristics to its license plate is to verify correct data and not to inspire actions, triggered by mismatched data -about our Residents’ vehicles.
The stories of innocent people being wrestled to the ground, detained, or arrested, because, for instance, someone put a stolen plate on a perpetrator's car, are not verified -just passed around, and they are not about Flock systems. In fact, the target license plate needs to match the other vehicle characteristics for it to be tagged as the original vehicle,
It is verified that none of those rumors/anecdotes are about Flock systems/services, which are being restricted -in access, as TrailMark is contracting to do. This is one of the compelling reasons only to use Flock systems. “Surveillance”, even just photographing the rears of cars, is a serious subject, and the veracity, integrity, focused, safe, and non-personally identifying nature of the data is of paramount importance.
DIDN’T THE BOARD USE THE FACT THAT PUBLIC SURVELLENCE IS EVERYWHERE TO JUSTIFY ALL OF US BEING WATCHED BY FLOCK?
The short answer is No. No, we never used those arguments, and No, the Flock systems do not “watch”, or surveil all of us. Residents are not “being watched”. The rear ends of their vehicles are being characterized and matched to License Plates.
Many communities’ HOA’s have argued that everybody is under surveillance all the time, wherever they go: "Ring-type" doorbells, house cameras, store surveillance, traffic control monitors, venue security cameras...etc....; so, they say, "Why is it such a big deal for this camera system?" That is their HOA’s and not yours.
The Board thinks that this argument is ridiculous, and so does Flock. Any true “surveillance” system is a big deal, if it identifies people. In fact, those other types of “surveillance” systems can photograph all sides of you, or your Family, or your vehicle, and they can match what you are doing to your personal information. Those camera systems are basically unregulated -on their own property.
Even a criminal can set up a trail-camera and photograph your patterns of behaviors. So sure, if TrailMark was trying to actually surveille you, that would be an argument.
Flock is limited to the back of vehicles. Those other systems are monitored, stored, and used by any number of unregulated individuals and corporations. Stores sell your individual buying habits. Who knows who is watching the surveillance footage?
That is why the argument that you are already being surveilled, ad nauseam, is a destructive and a misleading reason to use Flock systems. Everything about Flock vehicle image capture and data usage is known, restricted, regulated and understood by the Client. Your Board wants you to be protected, now and in the future, without sacrificing privacy.
The Board also wants you to really know how the Flock systems work, and how they are utilized.......by fact -not fiction or emotional hyperbole, on either side.
The Flock systems here, in TrailMark are justifiable for the right reasons and should never be associated with privacy abuses, no matter how ubiquitous or frequent those abuses, and potential abuses, are.
For instance, sensational stories, like a widely circulated one -in the Washington Post, may not have all its facts correct, but would concern anyone. Knowing what your TrailMark Flock systems do and cannot do helps you to understand that our Flock systems are actually set up specifically to avoid the maluses, which are spoken about, in such articles.
ISN’T FLOCK JUST WATCHING US, LIKE THE CRIMINALS DO?
It is true that any criminal could sit on a TrailMark curb and photograph our Residents -coming and going, along with vehicles and their faces. They could then follow our Residents back to their homes. Or return later.
The deterrent factor for a criminal not wishing to have their vehicle, or the stolen vehicle, or license plate, -with which they drove here, being identified/recognized, is a strong one; so, there is less incentive to return to commit a crime.
Nevertheless, criminals are identified/recognized, not usually as bright, as they are portrayed in the cinema; so, the functionality of the Flock network could easily identify their vehicle, when those strategy-challenged, non-observant individuals choose to return to TrailMark.
Of course, as our Community gets far better about reporting strange activities to the Littleton Police Department, it would be likely that of our fellow Residents might see that “criminal sitting on a curb taking photos” and simply report that very odd behavior. Once reported, Law Enforcement would be able to search the Flock Data, from TrailMark, and with the approximate times of the individual’s presence, figure out what vehicle the “photographer” was using, and search to see if that vehicle, or license plate, had any known issues. Littleton Police might even set up a notification, in case the Flock system ever saw that vehicle, or license plate, enter TrailMark. Other jurisdictions might find that they are also looking for that same vehicle, or “Photographer” by searching on the Flock vehicle identification network.
Many criminals know that Law Enforcement can use the Flock systems to readily find their movements, in stolen or non-stolen vehicles. If an incident occurs, Law enforcement can see every vehicle coming and going at relevant times.
The difference between a nefarious individual watching us, and our Flock systems watching vehicles’ identifying characteristics is that criminals try not to help TrailMark deter, and Law Enforcement catch, criminals. The Flock systems -watching, of all things, our vehicles’ rear ends, give Law Enforcement a very unique tool to mitigate our vehicle-related Community’s risks, and the Flock systems do this 24/7.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY “THE IMPORTANCE OF LOW DATA TARGET VALUE”, AND WHAT IS LOW DATA TAEGET VALUE?
Criminals seek and TARGET things of perceived value. Since there is no personal identifying information -via photo or database, with flock, and since the information on Flock’s database is only useful to Law Enforcement, and since the Flock cameras are not useable by anyone but flock -and hold no data, there is no real value in hacking into Flock’s database. It would be useless to anyone but Law Enforcement.
This “Low Value” of the Flock database’s vehicle characteristics and license plate information, renders the Flock Database and systems “Low Value Targets”, for criminals -no impetus to steal anything. The Flock systems and vehicle identification network are useless to criminals, but Flock, in the hands of Law Enforcement, poses a great threat to their nefarious activities.
The Flock photos and generated vehicle data are valuable only to Law Enforcement and then only as aiding to a specific issue/incident.
Low data target value is highly important to any personal privacy protection. The Board knows this, and even though Flock does not collect, or possess, any personal identifying information, this is why Flock and your Board's specifications and safeguards for our Flock systems are so important as reminders that we are always aware of all of our personal privacy concerns.
WE DON’T HAVE A LARGE CRIME WAVE; SO WHY DO WE NEED FLOCK?
Your Board is not installing the Flock systems because there is a wave of crime hitting us, about to.
Nevertheless, it would be wholly irresponsible for your Board to ignore very real trends in crime -in Colorado and in the Nation. TrailMark has had over twenty-three years of almost no crime, while other cities and neighborhoods have only seen National crime trends (exponential increases in many cases) enter their streets: stolen vehicles -used to commit crimes, gang theft of catalytic converters, standing copper sprinkler pipes sawed off, car thefts, swarm break-ins, garage breaches, car-scouting for on-demand stolen parts, and ever-increasing drive-by violence..........
Here in TrailMark, we have seen little or none of these things. You take a stroll, and even the keen, trained senses of the retired Law Enforcement “sees” no imminent crimes…… not for years.
Unfortunately, incidents of nefarious activities, especially late at night are being observed, as on the increase, in the surrounding communities, as well as in TrailMark: doors tested, individuals walking behind houses, non-neighborhood vehicles moving slowly through the neighborhoods -circling back, taking items from yards…..
Ask any Law Enforcement Officer, and they will tell you, what you probably sense, that just because you haven’t seen these sketchy activities does not mean that they are not happening, and that there is nothing intrinsic about TrailMark that has been a deterrent to crime. A more isolated location has likely delayed a lot of criminal activity out here, but once the criminal activities are forced to find new targets, they will not mind another few minutes of driving.
These nefarious incidents are not being reported to the Littleton Police Department (LPD) in proportion to their apparent occurrences. The Board is starting to encourage our Residents to report these incidents to the LPD.
There is a valuable difference between being paranoid and being appropriately proactive and prepared. This Board knows that salient difference, and is working proactively, because, once our isolated community is more actively seen as a ripe target for crime, it will be hard to prevent.
When we all come home to TrailMark, we want to feel safe, and actually be safe. We also do not want a fortress of compromised personal privacy, which we traded, for a "wall and guards".
Importantly, we also cannot just "will away" our real potential threats. We have a wonderful community and wonderful things. There is everything, here, to attract a criminal element, to our yet untapped high-value community. The Flock systems give us the ability to help protect our valued community using focused, low value data and the deterrent effect of Flock.
Property values, quality of life and safety go hand-in-hand. This is how the Board strives to protect our property, and living values here.
ALONG WITH FLOCK, WHAT CAN WE RESIDENTS DO TO HELP MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER?
Your eyes add critical value. The over 6,000 active eyes in TrailMark can give time and incident detail value to Law Enforcement's exclusive use of TrailMark's highly-focused, Flock data.
However, the incidents, here, alone do not warrant panic or paranoia. The trends of all the above nefarious activities, and more, are increasing. For instance, Denver, Lakewood, Lone Tree, etc. are experiencing increases in criminal activity, and especially those criminal activities facilitated by vehicles. The Board believes we should be very much aware and proactive toward such criminal trends, before they migrate toward a healthy, nice, untouched community, like TrailMark.
Just because TrailMark has not been "hit" by the increasing crime waves, like catalytic converter theft, does not mean that our Community has some kind of immunity, from such.
■■■■ NOW that TrailMark's Flock systems are installed, if you see or are the victim of, any nefarious or criminal activity -of any type, CALL THE LITTLETON POLICE! Tell them that you are a Flock Community.
The LPD is happy to take your calls, even if you are just sensing that something is not right. They will tell you, every day, that they would rather be cautious, and safe, rather than uninformed and sorry. No call is too trivial, if you are concerned.
WE ARE ISOLATED OUT HERE. ISN’T THAT SAFER?
Speak to current Law Enforcement, and they will tell you that the very isolation that may have delayed more crime in our community may be the very reason that once discovered, along with the surprising quality of TrailMark, we will become more and more of a target for criminals. This, again, is not paranoid observation, or "fleeting" behavior but rather a logical, time-proven fact that "criminals like things, and we've got a lot of things". Our Community is simply trying to be realistic, informed and smart about what we have, here in TrailMark.
AREN’T YOU JUST BEING PARANOID?
The Board is as far from paranoid, as folks can get. Yet, foresight -based on actual crime trends, is laudable, and your Board, having consulted with Law Enforcement, feels that preparing now, and having the very real illegal-activity-deterrent that Flock systems are, it is a prudent thing to do, well before crime problems seriously develop, here.
The Board is clearly not an enforcer of social contract laws, nor is it interested in doing anything but protecting TrailMark’s uniquely valuable and desirable community. While protecting our Community’s value and our Resident's privacy, while we do so.
With those things in mind, the Board believes that it would be irresponsible to wait until there are problems (when TrailMark is in the crosshairs of crime), to try to get Law Enforcement to act -more, or to install Flock Systems.
SO WHAT COMMUNITY PROGRAMS DID YOU TAKE FUNDS AWAY FROM -TO PAY FOR FLOCK?
The Board is not robbing one coffer to fill another. Yes, some other communities’ HOA’s have done such “funding monkey business”; however, your Board allocates funds, as they will be best utilized for the community. Where one area accomplished a budget's intent, and not all its budgeted funds were utilized, the Board can move those expected surplus funds to still address the goals and mission of the Board. This is exactly what the Board has done, and the Flock systems will be their own budget line-item, next-year and onward.
ISN’T THE BOARD JUST BUYING FLOCK EQUIPMENT THAT WILL BECOME OBSOLITE?
Great, salient question. We are actually buying no equipment, just Flock’s services. TrailMark has signed a two-year contract, with Flock, to RENT the equipment and subsequently retain their services -to have vehicle photos, and generated vehicle recognition/license data, from TrailMark’s entrance and exit, placed dynamically on Flock’s national vehicle identification camera data network.
Part of the agreement is that Flock is to maintains and cover any damage, or other functional issues to their systems/installations, in an expeditious manner.
Another part of the agreement is that Flock will keep their TrailMark systems current and not use cameras or any other programs or hardware that are lesser than their standardized excellent quality, or obsolete. Generally, that means a re-evaluation of our systems at a minimum of every two years (contract renewal), and continuous monitoring of their systems’ functionality and quality, during the two years, of each contract.
Of course, the Board would not have contracted with Flock if we did not intend to justifiably renew their contracts. Nevertheless, since the Board never automatically renews any contracts, of any type, we will evaluate how well the systems perform and remain state-of-the-expected quality, during the 2-year contract. The above points of high-quality, dependable functionality, accuracy, and excellent customer service are hallmarks of Flock.
HOW IS FLOCK A DETERENT?
Flock is a very real deterrent to crime (for instance Castle Rock, Colorado). For obvious reasons, criminals loath being photographed, even if it is just of their vehicle’s rear-ends. This criminal hesitancy has been true since cameras were invented…… (Except some infamous Western Outlaws, who thought it was a kick to do so).
For this reason, the Board does NOT want the Flock cameras, and their signs, to be hidden. Because "dummy” cameras Flock systems are never allowed, Flock systems always mean “active", with a justified reputation.
It has been said that no one wants to drive into their neighborhood and feel like they are being watched. Actually, we know of no one who wants such. This is why no one would stand for individuals being constantly photographed every time the exit or enter TrailMark. If you drive Express lanes, or toll roads, your personal information is attached to your license plate. With Flock systems your personal information is not known; so, it cannot be attached.
On the other hand, and importantly so, the Board believes that when you actually know what and how the Flock systems operate and the actual caretakership of the data, then driving in or out of TrailMark will actually be reassuring, knowing that should something bad occur, or a stolen vehicle is coming in, or exiting, that our Flock systems are ready to give Law Enforcement a very specific, focused tool to mitigate our risks. Law Enforcement is only interested in our vehicles, when ours are stolen, and interested in all stolen vehicles -nation-wide.
Flock systems are being installed, across the Nation, at a rate of about 1200 per week. The ubiquitous, and quality nature of the Flock systems and their reputation for accurately catching stolen cars, is incredibly helpful for TrailMark, because the Flock is well known in criminal circles, as a system to be avoided. They know that, unlike true surveillance systems, unmanned, Flock can alert Law Enforcement within seconds -if a stolen car, or license plate, passes through any Flock camera system, anywhere in their national system. The sheer speed of the Flock vehicle recognition system is a grave concern to nefarious activity, and even to those who are doing rapid drive-by, “swarm-theft”, of anything, like vehicles, home break-ins, or catalytic converters, for example.
In fact, another useful deterrent aspect of Flock cameras is that they “instantly” transmit their images to Flock, via LTE wireless, and it does no good, once discovered, to return and destroy the camera.
Criminals are learning about Flock much faster than the public, and we are pleased about this, because Flock systems, utilized by Law Enforcement, are a real problem for their “businesses”.
Of course, TrailMark would prefer to deter, rather than have to deal with the actual crimes in our Community. This deterrence factor, of Flock systems, is the primary reason for our Flock systems, here in TrailMark.
We also like that, if your car is stolen, from anywhere in our Nation, when it passes any Flock system, that location will be immediately transmitted to Flock’s network. Therefore, as a Flock Community Member, you are protected, in this manner, anywhere in the wide Flock network of cameras. THEREFORE, be sure to always report any nefarious activity, or car theft to the authorities, and tell them that you are a member of a Flock Community. That statement means a lot to them.
Even if a Law Enforcement jurisdiction does not have Flock Cameras, they can access the Flock network, if we give them permission, and we will always give permission to all Law Enforcement agencies. Presently, we have all participating jurisdictions, in Colorado, and any Law Enforcement Agency in the nation can be allowed to access our Flock data. Just call the Littleton Police Department, if you have a theft or, or any nefarious issue to report, and tell them, “I am a Flock Community Member”; so, they will know that the Flock network is available.
The point is that if a criminal is aware that you have a Flock system, they assume that it is being used and would actively cause them problems. That is a real important deterrent, and the reason that TrailMark does not hide our Flock Systems, and have bright signs that announce such.
STILL, A FEW RESIDENTS REALLY GOT UPSET, THINKING THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY OUR PERSONAL INFORMATION IS GOING TO BE HACKED AND OUR PRIVACY INVADED, RIGHT?
Folks understandably get fired up, when anything taking photos might identify them. We have a few who got instantly upset, and they let us know. We have mostly folks who like the Flock system in our Community, and if anything, many want to know more. As mentioned before, Residents’ personal privacy if a top priority for this Board, and should be for all our fellow Residents.
Of course, with something new, education, and understanding is paramount. Also, learning what Residents’ concerns are, is absolutely imperative. The more we know, the better that we can discuss the issues, concerns and opportunities. This Board stays dynamic, and as in these FAQ’s, we work to address the issues, instead of setting up a bunch of smoke and mirrors, leading to arbitrary of uninformed decisions, or explanations.
There was no end to folks, our Residents or not, enthusiastically dredging up anything to support EITHER SIDE of this Flock issue, with misinformation and inflammatory snap-conclusions -cloaked in every imaginable rationale of why the Flock system is "Big Brother" and their Board of Directors is out of their minds, or why the Flock systems will stop ALL of our crimes -now and in the future. Neither side is right, but their enthusiasm is welcomed.
Specific to TrailMark, some social media lit up, with anything to rile up Residents about "constant surveillance and mapping of our behaviors", data being breached, the HOA spying on them, and etc., while baselessly criticizing Flock as using sensationalism, and bloated fear statistics to sell their systems. Flock does nothing of the sort.
Incredibly, in spite of: true and misleading articles -about: photo and surveillance systems being abused by anyone, and especially HOA’s, heated discussions and sensationalized anecdotes, no back-up data, some opponents of our Flock systems began to engage in great discussions, with both sides of the issue learning.
These discussions were, and are, a real positive change for our Community. Sure, a few individuals will just never stop claiming that the HOA is the root to all TrailMark problem issues. However, dialogues and learning are making problem solving in TrailMark more of a resident-HOA collaborative effort. This is a very good, positive turn for TrailMark.
For Example -Emphasized because it is great; Out of all the enthusiastic detractors, who have jumped on the social bandwagon against Flock, a few have seriously, and supportively written the Board, and shown respect to discuss why the Board believes as it does and also why they believe as they do. This is excellent. These correspondents have also helped the Board consider many points again, just to be extra cautious. In fact, those individuals fueled many of the FAQ’s, here.
REGISTERING -WITH FLOCK: FAQ’s
HOW DO I REGISTER; SO, THE FLOCK VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION DATABASE SHOWS MY VEHICLES, AS BELONGING TO RESIDENTS HERE?
**** This is “OPTION ONE”, “Safe List”, below.
IF I AM NOT SURE WHETHER I WISH TO HAVE MY VEHICLE’S LICENSE PLATE PHOTOGRAPHED, WHAT CAN I DO?
**** This is “OPTION TWO”, “Opt-Out, Opt-In”, below.
**** OPTIONS’ GUIDE:
NEW CHANGES – MORE OPTIONS: “SAFE LIST” vs. Opt-Out-Opt-In.
KINDLY NOTE: Originally, the “Safe List” was understood to allow Residents to have their vehicles registered, and by default-of-registration, their vehicles were “Opted-Out” of the Flock searchable database -not having the photos of their vehicles’ license plates, and rear ends, available for Law Enforcement searches -on Flock’s searchable national vehicle identification database.
As of now, with a newly enabled “Opt-Out-Opt-In” option -attached to the “Safe List”, Residents must first, themselves (no one can do this for them), set up a Flock Account, then register their vehicles on the “Safe List” and, if they wish, “Opt-Out”. This procedure is a bit different, and more flexible for the TrailMark Residents than was originally enabled.
Now, Residents must REGISTER for the “Safe List” in order to “Opt-Out”, or to “Opt-back-In”.
Flock has now enabled that special function, on a TrailMark-Specific linked “Safe List” ACCOUNT REGISTRATION PAGE -for our Residents to set up an account -to register/declare their Vehicles as “Safe”, because they are verified Residents’ vehicles. By, registering their vehicles on the “Safe List”, Residents are able to “Opt-Out” and “Opt-In” -for themselves, whenever they wish to do so. Our Residents have full control of how, or if, the Flock National Vehicle Identification network “sees” their vehicles, at any time.
[**** Important Note: If you previously submitted your vehicles, to me, to be placed into the “Safe List”-“Opt-Out” arrangement, your vehicles are now NOT on the “Safe List” or “Opted-Out”. You will now have to set up a TrailMark-Specific “Safe List” Flock Account and then register your vehicles, on the “Safe List” and then “Opt-out”. This registration is easy and now puts total control in your hands.]
Refer to the following for your options. To have any of these options, you must first register through the Flock-TrailMark-specific Flock “Safe List” link, provided below.
OPTION ONE
The “Safe List” allows you to verify your TrailMark Residency, and to register your vehicles; so, Law Enforcement can easily eliminate your vehicles from suspect vehicle searches. If Law Enforcement can easily identify, and categorize, Resident vehicles, their searches are more efficient. Law Enforcement has the option to include or not include the “Safe List” -in their searches.
A vehicle on the “Safe List” is still available on the entire Flock network for searches, in case it is stolen or its license plate is stolen, regardless of where they were stolen.
[It would be very helpful, and more efficient for Law Enforcement, if all TrailMark Vehicles were on the “Safe List”.]
**** Residents must register to get their vehicles on the “Safe List.”
OPTION TWO
“Opting-In” and “Opting-Out” of the Flock Database Law Enforcement searches altogether. This means that your vehicle’s photos and information are not used in the Flock national vehicle identification database, and therefore, your vehicle will not be searchable, as long as you are “Opted-Out”.
To make your vehicle searchable again (Opt-In), you will have to go back to your Flock TrailMark Registration page, log in and “hit” the “Opt-Out” button -to clear it.
You may “Opt-Out” and “Opt-In” any time you wish, but your Opted-Out registered vehicle will not be scannable, once you Opt-back-In” to the Flock Network, until it again passes any Flock Camera, anywhere.
If your car is stolen, this is a slight disadvantage of “Opting-Out”. You have the right to be on the search database, but the searches basically have no idea that your vehicle exists, until you “Opt-back-In’ and drive past a Flock camera.
**** Residents must FIRST register to get their vehicles on the “Safe List” and then “Opt-Out”, for this Option Two.
[Kindly Note: I do not suggest “Opting-Out”; however, once registered, it is nice to control the options yourself, so easily.
On the other hand, the “Safe List” is very desirable; so, Law Enforcement has the option to not scan our registered Residential vehicles.
REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS
1) Go to the Flock TrailMark-Specific “Safe List” account Safe List Registration Page → HERE
2) Fill in your name, and email address.
3) A verification email will be sent to you to complete your account registration. (from “hello@flocksafety.com”)
4) On the email, click on “CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT”
5) You will then choose a password and verify it.
6) You can then log into your account and navigate around, using the three bars in the upper left-hand corner.
WHEN SIGNED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT
7) You can: A) Add your vehicles, one at a time, to the “Safe List” and choose “Save”, after each vehicle, or
B) “Opt-Out” of the Flock Searchable database altogether -by checking the “Remove my vehicles from footage” box and then choosing “Save.” Reverse this to “Opt-back-In”.
Here is Flock’s “Community Safe List Instructions” -Registration Guide
Kind Regards,
Bill (William) Kuenning
Secretary
TrailMark Board of Directors
HOW DO I REGISTER; SO, THE FLOCK VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION DATABASE SHOWS MY VEHICLES, AS BELONGING TO RESIDENTS HERE?
**** This is “OPTION ONE”, “Safe List”, below.
IF I AM NOT SURE WHETHER I WISH TO HAVE MY VEHICLE’S LICENSE PLATE PHOTOGRAPHED, WHAT CAN I DO?
**** This is “OPTION TWO”, “Opt-Out, Opt-In”, below.
**** OPTIONS’ GUIDE:
NEW CHANGES – MORE OPTIONS: “SAFE LIST” vs. Opt-Out-Opt-In.
KINDLY NOTE: Originally, the “Safe List” was understood to allow Residents to have their vehicles registered, and by default-of-registration, their vehicles were “Opted-Out” of the Flock searchable database -not having the photos of their vehicles’ license plates, and rear ends, available for Law Enforcement searches -on Flock’s searchable national vehicle identification database.
As of now, with a newly enabled “Opt-Out-Opt-In” option -attached to the “Safe List”, Residents must first, themselves (no one can do this for them), set up a Flock Account, then register their vehicles on the “Safe List” and, if they wish, “Opt-Out”. This procedure is a bit different, and more flexible for the TrailMark Residents than was originally enabled.
Now, Residents must REGISTER for the “Safe List” in order to “Opt-Out”, or to “Opt-back-In”.
Flock has now enabled that special function, on a TrailMark-Specific linked “Safe List” ACCOUNT REGISTRATION PAGE -for our Residents to set up an account -to register/declare their Vehicles as “Safe”, because they are verified Residents’ vehicles. By, registering their vehicles on the “Safe List”, Residents are able to “Opt-Out” and “Opt-In” -for themselves, whenever they wish to do so. Our Residents have full control of how, or if, the Flock National Vehicle Identification network “sees” their vehicles, at any time.
[**** Important Note: If you previously submitted your vehicles, to me, to be placed into the “Safe List”-“Opt-Out” arrangement, your vehicles are now NOT on the “Safe List” or “Opted-Out”. You will now have to set up a TrailMark-Specific “Safe List” Flock Account and then register your vehicles, on the “Safe List” and then “Opt-out”. This registration is easy and now puts total control in your hands.]
Refer to the following for your options. To have any of these options, you must first register through the Flock-TrailMark-specific Flock “Safe List” link, provided below.
OPTION ONE
The “Safe List” allows you to verify your TrailMark Residency, and to register your vehicles; so, Law Enforcement can easily eliminate your vehicles from suspect vehicle searches. If Law Enforcement can easily identify, and categorize, Resident vehicles, their searches are more efficient. Law Enforcement has the option to include or not include the “Safe List” -in their searches.
A vehicle on the “Safe List” is still available on the entire Flock network for searches, in case it is stolen or its license plate is stolen, regardless of where they were stolen.
[It would be very helpful, and more efficient for Law Enforcement, if all TrailMark Vehicles were on the “Safe List”.]
**** Residents must register to get their vehicles on the “Safe List.”
OPTION TWO
“Opting-In” and “Opting-Out” of the Flock Database Law Enforcement searches altogether. This means that your vehicle’s photos and information are not used in the Flock national vehicle identification database, and therefore, your vehicle will not be searchable, as long as you are “Opted-Out”.
To make your vehicle searchable again (Opt-In), you will have to go back to your Flock TrailMark Registration page, log in and “hit” the “Opt-Out” button -to clear it.
You may “Opt-Out” and “Opt-In” any time you wish, but your Opted-Out registered vehicle will not be scannable, once you Opt-back-In” to the Flock Network, until it again passes any Flock Camera, anywhere.
If your car is stolen, this is a slight disadvantage of “Opting-Out”. You have the right to be on the search database, but the searches basically have no idea that your vehicle exists, until you “Opt-back-In’ and drive past a Flock camera.
**** Residents must FIRST register to get their vehicles on the “Safe List” and then “Opt-Out”, for this Option Two.
[Kindly Note: I do not suggest “Opting-Out”; however, once registered, it is nice to control the options yourself, so easily.
On the other hand, the “Safe List” is very desirable; so, Law Enforcement has the option to not scan our registered Residential vehicles.
REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS
1) Go to the Flock TrailMark-Specific “Safe List” account Safe List Registration Page → HERE
2) Fill in your name, and email address.
3) A verification email will be sent to you to complete your account registration. (from “hello@flocksafety.com”)
4) On the email, click on “CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT”
5) You will then choose a password and verify it.
6) You can then log into your account and navigate around, using the three bars in the upper left-hand corner.
WHEN SIGNED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT
7) You can: A) Add your vehicles, one at a time, to the “Safe List” and choose “Save”, after each vehicle, or
B) “Opt-Out” of the Flock Searchable database altogether -by checking the “Remove my vehicles from footage” box and then choosing “Save.” Reverse this to “Opt-back-In”.
Here is Flock’s “Community Safe List Instructions” -Registration Guide
Kind Regards,
Bill (William) Kuenning
Secretary
TrailMark Board of Directors
(Click on image to view Flock brochure)
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INCIDENT? CALL THE LITTLETON POLICE, and you will be able to tell them that you are in a "Flock Community!” |
