Ferndale Police End Use of Flock License Plate Reading Cameras
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Nov. 13, 2025)
Ferndale, MI – Ferndale Police Chief Dennis Emmi announced Thursday that the department has ceased their use of Flock Safety license plate reading cameras.
In a press release Thursday evening, Emmi said “This decision reflects the feedback and concerns shared by the Ferndale community. The Ferndale Police Department is currently evaluating potential vendors for future ALPR technology.
“The Ferndale Police Department aims to balance ethical standards with community expectations while equipping investigators with effective tools to solve crime. The Department will provide updates to the public as new information becomes available. Thank you to the Ferndale community for sharing your voice.”
City of Ferndale Communications Director Reilly Coleman told Oakland County Times that “City Council did not vote on the removal of Flock. This was a decision made by the Police Department with support from City Council, City staff, and community feedback. ” She confirmed that the system is already offline, but is unsure of the date when the cameras themselves will be taken down.
Ferndale had been using the system for approximately two years. With Flock, a series of cameras captures license plate numbers and compares them to a database of plates that are flagged for investigations or for missing persons. The system also retains images for thirty days, so that if a crime occurs, police can review what vehicles were in the area.
The proposal to renew Flock Safety service in Ferndale had sparked debate between those who value police using the license plate recording cameras to help solve crimes, and those concerned over surveillance and the technology being used on a broader scale to potentially violate people’s rights.
At the Sept. 29, 2025 City Council meeting the Police Chief presented data from the use of Flock in Ferndale, including info on the placement of cameras, and what crimes were investigated using the technology. City Council also heard from members of the public about Flock’s sharing of data, and concerns that it was being used by federal agencies for immigration enforcement, and by police in other states where women’s access to healthcare is limited. Members of the Ferndale Inclusion Network also argued that placement of cameras on 8 Mile were targeting minority populations.
With so many residents speaking at public comment and contacting officials in other ways, the City postponed the vote and scheduled two community discussion events. The announcement was made on the night of the last event.
Locally Flock cameras are used by Michigan State Police, Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Royal Oak, Troy, Birmingham, Southfield, Oak Park, Warren, Sterling Heights, Shelby Township, and Auburn Hills.
There are also private Flock networks in use by neighborhood associations and corporations. For example, Lowe’s has Flock cameras at their stores. Police can access data on these private networks, however the owners of the networks can only access data within their own system.
