Meredosia acts on shoplifting with camera upgrades and funds

Meredosia Police Chief Derrick Suttles told village board members on Jan. 14 that he was coordinating with management at the village Dollar General to address a growing shoplifting problem. The store supplied police with a list of suspected shoplifters and recently called officers after an employee confronted a suspected thief, prompting the discussion at village hall.

Suttles asked the board to route fine revenue directly into the police account so those funds could be used to buy equipment rather than flowing into the village general fund. Board members took action on the short term by approving up to $5,000 to upgrade the village camera system, a move intended to improve evidence-gathering and deterrence at a key retail spot in the village.

The camera upgrade and the request to earmark fine revenue respond to immediate pressure on a small business and to broader worries about retail crime affecting local livelihoods. Dollar General is a primary convenience and essentials store for many Meredosia households, and repeated thefts can reduce hours, staff availability, and inventory for residents who rely on that location. Improvements to surveillance and clearer funding for enforcement equipment aim to stabilize operations for store employees and protect shoppers.

At the same meeting the board welcomed newly appointed member Mark Campbell, who filled a vacancy left by the death of a fellow board member. Campbell’s appointment restores the board’s full complement and will play a role in follow-up decisions about policing priorities and village spending.

Routing fine revenue to a dedicated police account could speed purchases of radios, cameras, or other loss-prevention tools without drawing from other village services. That approach also raises governance questions residents may want to watch: how fines are assessed, who decides equipment priorities, and how privacy and civil liberties are protected when surveillance increases in public spaces.

The developments on Jan. 14 show local officials taking targeted steps to support a small but vital business and to give police tools to respond more effectively. The measures will affect budget choices and daily life on the village’s commercial strip, and they set a tone for how Meredosia balances enforcement, municipal finance, and community trust.

The takeaway? Keep an eye on village board agendas, support local merchants when you can, and bring concerns about cameras or fines to the next meeting so the community shapes how safety is funded and enforced.