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Dearborn Heights council approves Flock Safety license-plate system amid resident concerns about staffing and response times
Summary
Council approved a license-plate reader agreement with Flock Safety as residents and council members pressed for faster police response, more officers and new traffic-enforcement and youth-education efforts from the acting police chief.
The Dearborn Heights City Council authorized the mayor and clerk to sign an agreement with Flock Safety to deploy stationary license-plate readers across the city, a measure supporters said will aid investigations and real‑time alerts.
Residents and several council members pressed the council and the new acting police chief for faster response times, more officers and expanded traffic enforcement after recent crashes and public safety complaints. The council approved the Flock Safety agreement by voice vote after a motion by Councilman Saab that was seconded by Councilman Ahmad.
The agreement will allow police to access stationary license‑plate reader feeds and to link into neighboring jurisdictions’ systems. Acting Chief Ahmed Haydar told the council the department had used similar systems in investigations and that the devices provide alerts for stolen plates, Amber Alerts and other law‑enforcement matches. He said 18 new stationary units would be part of the city plan, adding to five units already in use.
Several residents and council members described delayed police response during emergencies and understaffing. A resident who said officers took eight minutes to respond to a reported trespass in his driveway told the council he did not feel protected. Council members repeatedly asked for better response times and more traffic enforcement in neighborhoods, not only on arterial roads.
Haydar outlined a multi-part plan to address reckless driving that includes a coordinated traffic enforcement “blitz” with state and county partners, new targeted enforcement in known drag‑racing and drag‑strip areas, and a court‑linked education program for drivers aged roughly 16–21. Under the court plan, defendants who accept reduced pleas may be required to attend a two‑hour educational session with police; Haydar said similar presentations would be brought into schools through school resource officers.
Supporters of the Flock Safety contract argued the cameras will aid detectives and front‑line officers by delivering searchable plate data and real‑time alerts. Opponents were not recorded. The motion passed by voice vote; the council did not record a roll‑call tally in the meeting minutes.
Council members and the acting chief said the technology is not a substitute for officers on the street. Several urged administration and council to pursue recruitment, task‑force participation and other measures to address staffing shortages and investigative capacity.
The council also discussed follow‑up steps including a monthly community CompStat meeting to review crime and deployment and further public outreach about the new system.
