SOUTH LYON (WWJ) — South Lyon police have covered the city's Flock Safety license plate reader cameras with black plastic trash bags, joining a growing list of Metro Detroit communities reconsidering or halting their use of the technology due to privacy concerns.
Reporting from the intersection of 10 Mile and Dixboro Roads Tuesday morning, WWJ's Luke Sloan noted that one of the city's two Flock cameras was visible wrapped in a black plastic bag.
He said South Lyon police covered both of its Flock cameras — one at 10 Mile and Dixboro, and the other further east on 10 Mile Rd. — overnight.
The move follows similar actions across the Metro Detroit area.
Last week, St. Clair Shores covered its Flock cameras in a similar fashion, while municipalities including Westland, Ferndale, and Clawson have opted to terminate their contracts with Flock Safety altogether.
Flock cameras are AI-powered license plate readers used by law enforcement and private neighborhoods to automatically capture, analyze, and alert authorities to passing vehicles' license plates and physical characteristics in real time. Critics argue this creates a warrantless mass-surveillance network that tracks everyday movements and risks infringing on privacy.
Announced just last week, some Michigan lawmakers are trying to get a handle on Flock, without an outright ban.
State Rep. Alicia St. Germaine introduced a package of bills designed to establish clear restrictions and penalties, including prison time, for improper use of Flock cameras. Under the proposal, improper use of data would include searching for people who are not connected to an active alert, sharing information with unauthorized people and accessing data for personal reasons.
RELATED: 2 arrested by Shelby Twp. Police for Ulta thefts, with help from Flock
