On September 21, St. Clair Shores City Council voted to cover the city's 12 Flock Safety license plate reading cameras for six months, with a plan to revisit the issue in March 2027, C & G Newspapers reported. This decision came after residents voiced privacy concerns at recent council meetings.
What happened to the cameras in St. Clair Shores?
The City Council's decision means all 12 Flock Safety cameras in St. Clair Shores are now covered. This effectively pauses their operation until at least March 2027. The council will then reconsider the contract with Flock Safety.
Residents raised concerns about the cameras at the September 21 meeting and a prior meeting on September 8. Issues brought up included:
- Privacy invasion: Many residents expressed discomfort with the cameras' ability to track vehicles.
- Lack of transparency: One resident reported being denied his own Flock data through a Freedom of Information Act request, citing police policy and stating the data was not the department's to provide.
St. Clair Shores Police Chief Jason Allen presented information on the cameras, stating they are used for still photos of vehicles to generate leads for potential crimes. He emphasized that the cameras are "not surveillance of residents" and are not used for traffic enforcement like detecting speeding or checking plate expirations. Officers require a reason to access the system, and photos are stored for 30 days unless needed for a case.
What does this mean for drivers in St. Clair Shores?
For drivers in St. Clair Shores, the covering of these cameras means that for the next six months, the Flock Safety license plate readers will not be actively capturing vehicle data. This change directly addresses the privacy concerns raised by the community. If you're interested in understanding how these cameras typically operate and what data they collect, you can learn more about ALPRs on our /learn page.
The funds for the cameras came from the police department's drug law enforcement fund. The council's decision to cover the cameras was met with applause from the residents still present at the meeting. This temporary measure gives the city time to further evaluate the technology and its impact on the community before making a long-term decision.