MONROE, Mich. me — The Monroe County Board of Commissioners voted 8-1 Tuesday night to end the use of more than 40 Flock Safety license plate reading cameras operated by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough said the vote will not change the department's commitment to public safety.
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"We will continue to leverage every available resource and we will work to solve every crime in Monroe County," Goodnough said.
Goodnough acknowledged the impact of losing the technology.
"This is just a tool we won't have in our toolbox," Goodnough said.
However, he said he understands the concerns of the residents.
Before the vote, commissioners heard from residents on both sides of the issue. Some argued the cameras amounted to unconstitutional surveillance.
"I am here because recording every passing car is not ordinary policing; it is mass surveillance," said Carol, a resident from Dundee.
Others pushed back on those concerns.
"And if you're not doing anything, why should it matter to you," one resident said.
Monroe County attorney Matt Vititoe raised concerns about the accuracy of the technology.
"The Flock system is riffed with errors," Vititoe said.
Retired Monroe County Sheriff's Office Lt. Michael Davison argued the cameras serve a legitimate law enforcement purpose.
"Flock cameras are just another investigative tool that identify vehicles and license plates traveling on public highways," Davison said.
The policy's reach remains unclear. Some townships within Monroe County operate their own Flock cameras, and the board's vote does not appear to extend to those systems.
"I think that's some of the grey area. And the commissioners made that clear. They can't tell the townships what to do," Goodnough said.
The timeline for removing the cameras and any contractual obligations with Flock Safety have not been determined.
"That's a conversation that we're going to have with the Flock company, and Mr. Bosanac, our county CFO and obviously our legal team. We don't want to expose our county to any liability," Goodnough said.
7 News Detroit reached out to Flock Safety for a statement on the vote and did not hear back.
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