SOUTH LYON — The city will have two license plate reading cameras installed, joining several neighboring communities whose police departments have been using the Flock Safety technology to nab criminals.The city council voted 5-2 during its Nov. 24 meeting to approve an agreement with the Road Commission for Oakland County for installation of the cameras on 10 Mile Road, a county-maintained road. Councilmembers Thad Bogert and Michael Squires voted no.
“I have concerns over privacy of information collected using the Flock cameras,” Bogert said. “They collect data from every vehicle that passes the camera – the make, the color, the model of the vehicle. And from what I have seen, there is insufficient safeguards to protect the privacy of people in these vehicles. Anyone who is in law enforcement can access this information.”
Police Chief Bonnie Unruh, who requested the council approve the Flock Safety cameras as an investigative tool for police and one which will also assist in locating missing persons, said Bogert was “very correct” that the South Lyon Police would also be able to access the Flock cameras of other agencies, “so if someone is missing in South Lyon and we have a license plate we can put that in and it will tell us where that car has been or is going.”
The city council discussed the Flock Safety cameras earlier this year, Mayor Pro-Tem Alex Hansen said.One camera will be installed at 10 Mile and Dixboro roads, while the other will be at 10 Mile and Martindale roads.
“The police chief confirmed that surrounding communities use the same system and cameras in police vehicles use the same system, which puts my mind at ease,” Hansen said. “The right individuals have access and it won’t be used in a nefarious way. I don’t like the thought of South Lyon not being part of this, we would be a dead zone so to speak.”
He added that the cameras aren’t recording individuals in the vehicles, nor are they to be used to issue speeding tickets.
Lyon Township contracted with Flock Safety two years ago for six cameras at a cost of $37,000. Since that time, Oakland County Sheriff’s Office deputies have shared that the cameras have successfully helped police arrest a car thief as well as suspects in a road rage incident.
Flock Safety, who owns the cameras and maintains them, has contracts with several other area communities as well, including Milford, which approved 10 two years ago, and Farmington Hills, which has 34.
Contact reporter Susan Bromley at sbromley@hometownlife.com.
This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: South Lyon joins Flock, adding license plate reading cameras on 10 Mile
Reporting by Susan Bromley, Hometownlife.com / Hometownlife.com
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