Publication select ▼
FERNDALE — The state of automated license plate reader cameras in Ferndale is in limbo while the city devises its surveillance policy.
At its Dec. 15 meeting, the Ferndale City Council reviewed an agreement with Axon for an ALPR camera system. This would replace the previous program run by Flock Safety that the city terminated its relationship with due to privacy concerns.
Axon is not an unfamiliar company to Ferndale, as it already provides the city with technology ranging from body-worn cameras to in-car cameras and evidence storage.
Because of the previous issues with Flock, the city presented Axon with agreement addendums, to which the company agreed.
These addendums, according to Police Chief Dennis Emmi, include Ferndale has sole ownership of its ALPR data; there is no access or use of the data without written authorization; Axon can’t use the data for product development; third-party access is prohibited, and sharing with federal agencies is prohibited unless Ferndale provides case-specific written authorization; and there is no facial recognition or human analytics, livestreaming or real-time monitoring.
“We take the accountability and oversight seriously,” Emmi said. “We have one of the most robust policies there is in law enforcement when it comes to our ALPR technology. It’s important to note that that is not the end of that statement. Policy is going to evolve. … Policy review is a continuous process regardless of the profession. If you’re not looking at them at least annually, you’re not doing your job as an administrator. We continually look at that and find mistakes or gaps or holes and we will work together with council to plug those gaps and those holes.”
The council would go on to approve the agreement 4-1, but contingent upon the approval of an ordinance and companion policy designed to strengthen protections for residents and oversight of government surveillance technology.
The ordinance would undergo two readings, with the second coming at the first meeting in February.
If the policies and ordinances are approved, the installation of the cameras would be in April. They are estimated to cost a total of $110,967.60 paid for over five years. Nine cameras would be installed at northbound and southbound Woodward Avenue, eastbound and westbound Eight Mile Road and eastbound and westbound Nine Mile Road.
Amid the pushback from the group of residents who have voiced their dislike of the technology since the first issues with Flock arose last year, then-Councilman Greg Pawlica said the technology was never a solution to deter crime, but to act as an additional tool for law enforcement to solve crime. And from what he heard from a community conversation involving residents on Dec. 12, very few responses were about suggestions to improve the contract, just dislike for the technology.
“We’ve had this technology in Ferndale for over two years with the contract that was imperfect. There’s no argument. However, during that time, not one person has come forward indicating that their civil rights were violated or the technology was used improperly. Our policies have worked,” he said.
Mayor Pro Tem Laura Mikulski said in a text message the policies were still being worked on as of Jan. 11.
You May Also Be Interested In
