Ferndale police announce they have severed Flock Safety contract; staff will vet replacement ALPR vendors

Ferndale Police Chief Dennis Emmy told a packed community conversation that "as of today, we have severed our relationship with Flock Safety," describing the move as a response to public input and staff deliberations. He said the decision is a staff-led change announced publicly and that no City Council decision was made during the meeting.

Emmy said the department plans to remove Flock-branded pilot cameras (a 15-camera pilot) and to recommend replacement ALPR hardware from a different vendor at locations the department identified as major city entrances, including points along 8 Mile, Woodward and 9 Mile. "We are shifting the focus," Emmy said, adding that additional details will follow as the department vets vendors.

On policy, staff compared Ferndale's existing ALPR rules with model-language from civil-rights and professional groups. James Kurzan, assistant city manager, said Ferndale's retention period is 30 days, while the American Civil Liberties Union's model initially called for 48 hours and has more recently recommended 14 days; Kurzan said the city recognizes situations where longer retention can be needed for investigations. Emmy said Ferndale will align the written search standard with current detective practice by documenting the use of reasonable suspicion for investigative searches.

Emmy described the department's vendor-vetting work in general terms: staff said they reviewed hundreds of agency policies when shaping Ferndale's criteria and that 42 agencies' data-sharing policies were rejected for not meeting Ferndale's standards. Emmy listed vendor selection criteria that will guide any procurement: vendor character and reputation, cost effectiveness, customer service and maintenance, image quality and accuracy, intuitive search software and, ideally, a sizable partner network.

Asked whether severing the Flock contract would create a security gap, Emmy acknowledged there will be a gap while the department vets and (if approved by council) installs replacement hardware. "There certainly will be [a gap] between now and who knows? It may take a year to install," he said. Staff said they intend to return options to City Council for consideration.

The department framed several safeguards in its existing policy that it intends to retain or clarify: limited access to search tools by approved personnel, a requirement that officers visually confirm plate and vehicle matches and check LEIN before initiating stops, and documentation of searches. Community members raised concerns about external access and enforcement of sharing restrictions; Emmy said detectives routinely cooperate across jurisdictions but that he supervises such activity and would hold violators accountable if a policy breach were found.

The department did not present a council resolution or formal motion at the meeting; the announcement was presented as an administrative action driven by staff and public input. Emmy invited continued community feedback as staff formalize vetting criteria and prepare options for council consideration.