City expands Flock cameras despite concerns

By Charles Sercombe
Hamtramck is expanding its license plate reader camera system known as Flock.
And some residents aren’t happy with that.
At a recent city council meeting, several residents spoke out against a proposal to expand the city’s Flock system from 15 license plate readers to a total of 32 cameras located throughout the city.
The cost for all the cameras will be $94,500 a year, and will be paid for through the police department’s narcotic fund.
Lynn Blasey, who has run unsuccessfully for council in the past, said that the use of Flock cameras “sounds good on the surface, but the data and information from them is shared with agencies and private entities around the world.”
Blasey continued:
“Flock is not openly transparent about these things for a reason: If the public knows who was assessing information about their movements, they would be outraged.”
Blasey said that the use of Flock is “not the answer” to providing a safer Hamtramck.
Naji Choudhury, who runs a podcast called “Made in Bangladesh,” also said he is concerned about data sharing in the Flock system. Choudhury urged councilmembers to “slow down” and explore other options to provide safety for the community.
He also pointed out that some communities in the state have decided to opt out of their Flock systems, and other communities, such as Ann Arbor, have outright rejected installing the system.
The City of Ferndale, in 2025, cited community concerns over how Flock data is shared, and eventually ended its contract with Flock.
Hamtramck Police Chief Hussein Farhat defended the use of the cameras.
He said the cameras do not collect personal information, but rather are focused on only license plates, which are not subject to privacy laws.
Farhat also said the existing camera system has resulted in solving cases “that would normally go unsolved due to a lack of leads.” He also stressed that the information collected by Hamtramck’s system is not shared with other cities.
There have been no known complaints by residents that their personal data has been shared by Flock.
As of now, over 125 Michigan communities use the cameras. Michigan lawmakers have heard the concerns, and are now considering whether to regulate the system.
So far, 16 other states have adopted regulations for the cameras.
May 1, 2026