Sterling Heights to Vote on License Plate Reader Deal
The City Council will consider renewing a contract for Flock Safety cameras on October 20, 2026.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Law Enforcement
Live Poll
Do you support the use of license plate reader cameras by police in your community?
On October 20, 2026, the Sterling Heights City Council will vote on a contract renewal for Flock Safety license plate reader cameras. The proposed agreement would run from December 2026 to December 2028.
Why it matters
The proposal comes as at least 14 communities in southeast Michigan have recently cancelled, rejected, or paused their agreements with the provider. The city must now weigh continued use of the technology against growing regional resistance.
Sterling Heights currently operates 23 solar-powered Falcon cameras across 19 locations. Termination of the agreement at any time for convenience carries a one-time removal fee of $500 per hardware unit.
The players
Sterling Heights City Council
This is the legislative body responsible for the governance of Sterling Heights and the approval of municipal contracts.
Flock Safety
This private company provides automated license plate recognition technology used by law enforcement agencies across the country.
The details
The city's current agreement with Flock Safety began in August 2022. Under the proposed renewal, police officers remain prohibited from using the systems for traffic enforcement, facial recognition, immigration status, or reproductive health care searches.
Timeline
Sterling Heights first signed the Flock contract in August 2022.
The City Council will hold a vote on the contract on October 20, 2026.
The new contract period begins in December 2026.
The new contract period is set to end in December 2028.
Legal Context
The city's decision follows a documented trend where at least 14 communities in southeast Michigan have cancelled, rejected, or paused their Flock Safety agreements. This vote marks a departure from the initial 2022 adoption as local scrutiny of surveillance technology grows.
Residents should note that the cameras do not perform live facial recognition or traffic law enforcement. The policy explicitly bars police from using the data for immigration or reproductive health searches, maintaining specific privacy constraints on the system.
The takeaway
The upcoming vote forces the city to decide if the current surveillance infrastructure aligns with local privacy standards. Residents should monitor the council's decision for potential changes to how data is collected in their neighborhood.
What happens next
The City Council vote is scheduled for October 20, 2026.
Further reading
Learn more about local policing and public safety protocols in the Sterling Heights Law Enforcement section.
Live Poll
Do you support the use of license plate reader cameras by police in your community?
