Michigan Residents Question Growing Use of Flock Safety Cameras

If there's one thing people seem to agree on when it comes to Flock Safety technology, it's that nobody seems to agree on Flock Safety technology.

The debate resurfaced this week in Pontiac, where city officials heard from residents who want the city to stop using certain Flock systems that are designed to help police investigate crimes and respond to gun violence.

Pontiac Residents Voice Concerns About Surveillance Technology

Much of the discussion focused on Flock's Raven gunshot detection system, which uses microphones placed in public areas to detect and locate the source of gunfire. It's similar to ShotSpotter technology that has been used in cities across the country according to FOX 2.

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Supporters say it's simply another tool for law enforcement. Critics argue it creates too much surveillance and can disproportionately impact minority communities.

The conversation isn't unique to Pontiac. Flock's automated license plate readers have become increasingly common throughout Michigan, including in communities that continue to debate whether the technology is worth the privacy concerns that come with it.

A Michigan Case That Added Fuel To The Debate

While opponents question how much these systems should be used, police departments often point to cases where the technology has helped investigators.

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FOX 2 reported on one example earlier this year in Waterford Township. Back in February, several license plate readers were vandalized after being ripped from their mounts and smashed. According to police, one of the damaged readers managed to capture an image of a vehicle connected to the suspect before it was destroyed.

Michigan Man Busted by Flock Camera He Was Destroying

Investigators say that image, along with nearby surveillance footage, helped them identify a 24-year-old Clarkston man who was later charged with multiple felony counts of malicious destruction of police property.

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In other words, one of the license plate readers allegedly helped police track down the person accused of destroying license plate readers.

Privacy Versus Public Safety Remains A Dividing Line

Whether that's proof the technology works or just another example fueling the debate probably depends on who you ask.

What is clear is that the argument over public safety versus personal privacy isn't going away anytime soon, and Pontiac is just the latest Michigan community wrestling with where that line should be drawn.