The Future of Surveillance in Ferndale: A Look at the Flock Safety ALPR Contract

Ferndale City Council is poised to make a pivotal decision on whether to renew its contract with Flock Safety, a company specializing in public safety surveillance through Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR). As the city approaches a vote in the coming weeks, the atmosphere is charged with community opinions, civil liberties concerns, and questions regarding public safety.

The Pilot Study: Initial Findings

The first year of utilizing Flock’s ALPR system has been referred to as a pilot study. During a city council meeting on September 29, city officials presented findings from this initial exploration into surveillance technology. Concerns regarding civil liberties and data privacy were front and center, with residents expressing their apprehensions about how the data gathered would be used and shared.

A Shift in Policy

In response to community anxieties, City Manager Colleen O’Toole announced several noteworthy changes regarding data sharing. One of the pivotal updates is the city’s decision to withdraw from a national database search feature, which would have allowed outside police departments access to Ferndale’s data for criminal investigations without consent. O’Toole emphasized that Ferndale’s ALPR system will not utilize facial recognition technology, further alleviating fears about invasive surveillance methods.

Regional Collaboration and Impact

Flock’s system operates by capturing images of vehicles and their license plates through strategically positioned cameras in public areas. According to the city council presentation, collaborating with other municipalities that subscribe to Flock’s ALPR system has proven beneficial for law enforcement. In the metro Detroit area, 12 other cities, including notable names like Detroit and Troy, also employ this technology. O’Toole noted, “real-world contributions to homicide and child kidnapping investigations” have been linked to data obtained via the ALPR system, highlighting its potential for solving critical cases.

Addressing Community Concerns

Despite the perceived benefits, there remains significant pushback from residents. Concerns regarding racial profiling, particularly along the Ferndale-Detroit border on Eight Mile Road, have been a hot topic. Over the past ten years, both the ACLU Michigan and the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) have accused the Ferndale Police Department of racially biased practices during traffic stops. Although Flock Safety’s transparency dashboard states that their technology prohibits immigration enforcement and targeting of protected classes, residents remain skeptical.

Reassessing Camera Locations

As part of the ongoing evaluation of the ALPR system, city officials have suggested removing seven of the current 16 cameras, citing insufficient return on investment. Many of the cameras slated for removal are positioned near the contentious Eight Mile border, where police activity has drawn scrutiny from community members. This decision is likely to evoke varied reactions, balancing concerns over public safety with vigilance around civil rights.

Voices Against Surveillance Technology

Opposition voices in Ferndale are becoming increasingly prominent. Notable activists Prasad Venugopal and Kathleen LaTosch, members of the Ferndale Inclusion Network, have articulated their concerns about the ongoing use of the ALPR system. In discussions with The Metro, they emphasized their deep apprehensions about a surveillance system that might inadvertently infringe on civil liberties. Advocates for the community argue that the potential for misuse of data, combined with the history of racial profiling, warrants a more cautious approach to surveillance.

In light of these developments, the impending vote by the Ferndale City Council stands to be a significant moment, reflecting the balance between technological advancement and the preservation of civil liberties. The community remains engaged and vocal, reinforcing the importance of public discourse in shaping policy decisions.