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Waterford board approves three‑year Flock Safety contract despite public privacy concerns
Summary
The Board approved a three‑year, $60,000 Flock‑Safety OS‑Plus agreement and expansion of license‑plate readers and related drone capability. Dozens of residents had voiced opposition during public comment, citing privacy and surveillance concerns; the funding source is the Police Department's federal drug forfeiture account.
The Waterford Township Board on Jan. 26 approved a three‑year agreement with Flock‑Safety for the OS‑Plus platform and related expansion of license‑plate reader (LPR) and drone capabilities. The contract totals $60,000 for three years ($20,000 per year), to be funded from the Police Department’s restricted federal drug forfeiture account. The motion (moved by Supervisor Anthony Bartolotta and seconded by Trustee Marie E. Hauswirth) carried unanimously.
Police Chief Underwood described an existing deployment that began in January 2022 with 8 LPR cameras; the department currently uses 12 and expects to expand to 16 in 2026. The OS‑Plus platform will integrate video, mapping and device streams with existing systems such as AXON and CAD, and the department expects to launch a Drone‑First Responder program in early 2026 that would include three drones and supporting infrastructure.
Chief Underwood and policing materials presented to the Board framed the expansion as a tool to investigate and solve vehicle thefts and other crimes, and to maintain parity with neighboring agencies that use similar technologies. The department documents say the negotiated three‑year OS‑Plus package includes a discount totaling $27,500 off list pricing.
During the meeting several residents spoke in opposition to the Flock‑Safety agreement, citing privacy, surveillance and government overreach concerns. Public commenters who addressed the Board included Mark Monohon, Jim Katterman and Eric Domke, among others. "I oppose the Flock Safety Agreement because of privacy concerns," several speakers told the Board during public comment (paraphrased from remarks recorded in the meeting minutes).
The Board approved the contract despite the objections. The Police Department memo and public materials state the equipment and platform are intended for targeted public‑safety deployments (for example, along known criminal routes and high‑traffic roadways) and that increased situational awareness supports investigations. The Board did not amend the contract language at the meeting. The motion to approve was recorded as unanimous.
