Livingston County Sheriff pulls Flock Cameras due to 'repeated vandalism'
LIVINGSTON COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Flock cameras are being temporarily removed in Livingston County due to repeated vandalism, officials told FOX 2 on Tuesday.
Flock camera removal in Livingston County
Local perspective:
Across the country, Flock cameras have been sprouting in highly populated areas, from cities to neighborhoods. Supporters say they are meant for security. However, anti-Flock groups say they are a breach of privacy and do more than just track license plates.
Their presence has led to a series of vandalism cases across the country, many of which in Metro Detroit. Now, it has led to officials moving away from repairing them.
The Livingston County Sheriff told FOX 2 in a statement that they are removing Flock cameras temporarily due to repeated vandalism.
"We are by no means acquiescing to the vandals to the extent that this will be permanent," they said.
What is a Flock camera?
Big picture view:
Flock cameras are described as automated license plate readers owned by Flock Safety.
Dig deeper:
They use AI to read and record license plates and vehicle details. Though they appear on Metro Detroit roads, some also can be seen in parks and trails where vehicles don't normally go.
They are not hard to spot as you drive down roads like Woodward, Telegraph, or even a small side street. They normally sit on black or gray poles with a camera strapped to the side. A big giveaway is the small solar panel at the very top.
Some residents in Metro Detroit say they're an effective law enforcement tool. However, others say they're too invasive.
Besides vandalism, others are turning to the law. A college student is holding Genesee County to task, submitting a FOIA request for Flock documents regarding his vehicle. So far, he isn’t satisfied with what he’s received.
Joshua Tewolde, a student at Kettering University, filed a lawsuit against Genesee County for not fulfilling the entirety of his Freedom of Information Act request, says his attorney, Steve Delie with the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation.
‘DeFlock’ and the response to the Flock push
Anti-Flock Groups:
The expansion of Flock has led to groups, like ‘DeFlock’ spreading details about the location of thousands of cameras.
It comes as many communities have begun to reject the company from installing Flock cameras in their cities.
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The Source: FOX 2 used previous reporting and information from the Livingston County Sheriff's Office for this story.