Village Considers Security System for Metra Lot

Many people who park in the New Lenox Metra lot have had a rough year. There's been a string of burglaries, cars damaged, parts stolen and even one car taken from the lot.

To keep the lot from continuing as a hub for criminal activity, the village will purchase a surveillance system for $29,200. The system will have five cameras total, set up at three locations in the lot with enough range to view or zoom in on any point there.

Deputy Chief Bob Pawlisz of the has been researching options over the last few months, and he recommended this system by Current Technology.

The cameras will be in waterproof cases and will transfer the data through a WiFi connection to a remote server. Footage will not be monitored at all times, but police do have the ability to view it from any device with an Internet connection, which could come in handy in times when there's a call in progress.

Earlier systems considered would have only been powered when the lot's lights were on, and that's when cars typically aren't parked there. Other systems were a bit cheaper, too, but Pawlisz said this option appears to be the most reliable. Mayor Tim Baldermann said the village is working to see if there are any grants that would be available for such a purchase.

The village attorney must review the terms of service and the board will decide if it wants a warranty included, but besides that the cameras could be installed in January.

Earlier this year, Mokena purchased security cameras for its lot, and Pawlisz said there's been "relatively little crime" since they were installed.

Meanwhile, New Lenox has been considering an increase the the $1/day fee it charges to park in the commuter lot. But because Metra's board of directors recently approved a 25 percent fare hike, Mayor Tim Baldermann said the village is reconsidering furthering the commuters' burden. The fee charged by the village is expected to bring in about $226,000 this fiscal year, but the cost to maintain the lot is $261,551. An increase could help put the total cost on the people who use it, but also possibly pay for structural upgrades.

More Coverage