After public comments raised concerns at a recent Ottawa County Commission meeting, Sheriff Eric DeBoer issued a statement addressing what he calls widespread misinformation about the Flock technology.
DeBoer clarified the cameras only capture license plate images on public roads to match against law enforcement databases for stolen vehicles, missing people or alerts.
“It does NOT run the plate with the Secretary of State to find the registered owner, it does NOT use facial recognition, it does NOT know who's driving, it does NOT track where a vehicle is headed, and it is NOT used for traffic enforcement. Every search of our system requires a documented reason, and no enforcement action is ever taken based on an alert alone; deputies independently verify every hit before acting.”
DeBoer also noted since 2024, the technology has contributed to 124 arrests in Ottawa County, the recovery of more than $900,000 in stolen property, and helped identify suspects in violent crimes while clearing at least one person.
DeBoer warned against a recent uptick in camera vandalism, stating one arrest has already been made, and property destruction will not be tolerated.
The Board of Commissioners is considering a dedicated work session to discuss the cameras further.
Full Statement:
"Today's Ottawa County Board of Commissioners meeting included a number of public comments regarding the Sheriff's Office's use of Flock license plate reader cameras, and the Board has suggested holding a future work session on the topic. In the hours since, our office has received questions from several news outlets asking for comment. Rather than respond individually, I want to offer this statement to all media and to the public directly.
I take the public's concerns about this technology seriously, and I understand why residents want more transparency about how it's used. I'd welcome the opportunity to participate in a Board work session to walk through exactly how our office uses this system, what it can and can't do, and the safeguards we have in place.
I've been following the national conversation around this technology closely, and I think it's important to say plainly: a lot of the concern being raised is based on misinformation or a genuine misunderstanding of what this system actually does. To be clear about that, it captures an image of a license plate already visible on a public roadway, the same information any deputy could lawfully observe and photograph without a warrant. It checks that plate against law enforcement databases for stolen vehicles, missing persons, and Amber Alerts, and notifies our office of a match. It does NOT run the plate with the Secretary of State to find the registered owner, it does NOT use facial recognition, it does NOT know who's driving, it does NOT track where a vehicle is headed, and it is NOT used for traffic enforcement. Every search of our system requires a documented reason, and no enforcement action is ever taken based on an alert alone; deputies independently verify every hit before acting.
Beyond what the technology itself can and can't do, the other legitimate concerns people raise are the misuse, overreach, or lack of accountability of a system like this. These concerns are addressed by having a strong department policy governing the system and its usage, as well as by our office's long track record as good stewards of this community's trust. That's not something I take for granted, and it's exactly why I welcome scrutiny of how we operate rather than avoiding it.
Since 2024, this technology has contributed to 124 arrests in Ottawa County, helped recover more than $906,000 in stolen property, and led to the recovery of 72 stolen vehicles and 11 illegally possessed firearms. It's helped identify suspects in serious violent crimes, including assisting in the ongoing investigation of a shooting that injured five people, an armed robbery, multiple road-rage shootings, and a suspect facing a ten-count criminal sexual conduct charge, and helped bring home missing and endangered residents, including elderly community members and at-risk youth, safely and quickly. And it's worth noting this technology doesn't just point toward suspects. In at least one case, data from this system helped confirm a timeline that cleared a person as a suspect entirely. This tool can rule people out just as readily as it can generate a lead.
I also want to address a separate and troubling trend directly. We have seen an uptick in the deliberate destruction and disabling of these cameras in recent weeks. I want to be clear that public debate about this technology is welcome. Destroying publicly funded property is a criminal act, not a form of protest, and it will not be tolerated. An arrest has been made in one recent camera destruction case. Captain Sparks will be releasing further details on that investigation shortly.
I understand not everyone will agree with the use of this tool. But I'd rather have this conversation in the open, with real information, than let it happen based on assumptions about what the technology does or how we use it. I look forward to that discussion with the Board, and my office remains glad to answer any follow-up questions from media or residents in the meantime."
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