FERNDALE (WWJ) – License plate recognition cameras are being turned off in the City of Ferndale.
The city and the Ferndale Police Department announced, as of Thursday, November 13, 2025, they’ve ended the partnership with Flock Safety amid concerns shared by the community.
Flock is a series of cameras that captures license plate numbers and compares them to a database of plates that can be flagged for investigations or for missing persons. The pictures are kept for thirty days, so if a crime happens, police can review what vehicles were in the area. The technology does not include facial recognition or video recording capabilities.
In Ferndale, the cameras were placed around the perimeter of the city – in all the major entrances. According to Police Chief Dennis Emmi, the pilot program supported 16 cameras and after concerns came to light, they suggested cutting it down to nine.
Some in the community didn’t want the cameras there at all. Many called it an invasion of privacy, saying the surveillance cameras were an overreach and they could be abused to violate people’s rights.
“Essentially, the community and elected body lost trust in the company,” said Chief Emmi. “We felt like the technology definitely had merit and made a difference in investigations.”
While Chief Emmi and other Ferndale officials believe they made the right decision, getting rid of the cameras will make investigations harder for officers.
“We have the technology for a reason. We’ve used it recently in a homicide case, attempted homicide cases. We’ve used it in robbery, home invasions. It is really proven invaluable,” said Chief Emmi.
“It produces leads where sometimes we don't have anything. It often helps us strengthen a case by putting suspects near the scene. It really is fantastic technology that’s endorsed by prosecutors.”
Flock is used by several other departments in Michigan, including Michigan State Police, Shelby Township Police and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department.
The Ferndale Police Department is currently evaluating other potential vendors for future automatic license plate recognition technology that better align with the city’s values.