Flock license plate readers

Business owner, teacher, and homeowner passes four Flock cameras daily and urged termination plus an ordinance.

Eastside arborist noted trees reduce crime, said she can't opt out of Flock like TSA screening, and urged termination.

Contrasted intimidation with partnership and urged termination of the contracts and removal of the physical infrastructure.

Social worker framed Flock as part of national trends of AI and data-center investment driven by profit, not safety.

Writer and musician urged a yes vote, an ordinance to prevent recurrence, and asking businesses to remove surveillance too.

A former 27-year Lansing homeowner who recently moved out argued the cameras are a needed crime-fighting tool, citing FBI crime rankings, and said opponents are a loud minority.

Presented a coalition letter from 20+ local businesses and nonprofits opposing AI-powered mass surveillance and urged passage of the resolution.

Demanded termination, destruction of all collected data, and an independent audit of every use, saying residents were deceived about the cameras' purpose.

A prospective at-large council candidate warned of recall efforts against members who vote no on the resolution.

Cited documented abuses nationwide — stalking, ICE data sharing, surveillance of demonstrators — and called mass surveillance un-American and bipartisan in its opposition.

Argued proactive anti-poverty investments beat surveillance, and asked the council to explore an ordinance banning ALPRs outright and audit LPD's use.

Said she now reroutes her driving to avoid Flock cameras and worried about domestic violence survivors, communities of color, immigrants, and children who can't consent to data collection.

Called ALPR technology deceptive mass surveillance without consent and urged investment in schools and transit instead.

Old Everett Neighborhood Association president argued road design, not cameras, solves traffic safety, and urged better boulevards, bike lanes, and transit.

Urged termination of Flock and rejection of similar vendors including Axon, Motorola, and Genetec, saying tracking anyone is stalking.

An Ingham County housing trust fund staffer speaking for himself said the cameras poison community trust and urged residents to speak up.

Cited studies showing no significant crime-solving benefit and urged the council to draft an ordinance limiting or banning ALPRs.

Ward 2 resident urged support for the resolution and said she'd push private businesses like Meijer and Kroger on surveillance next; also flagged Consumers Energy easement concerns.

Stressed opponents aren't anti-safety and asked that cameras be physically removed if contracts are terminated.

Lifelong resident likened constant surveillance to Orwell's 1984 and said the technology makes residents feel less safe.

Thanked council for the data center moratorium and urged the same responsiveness on Flock, plus a future ban on ALPR contracts.

A mail carrier in his first council meeting said cameras at every intersection wouldn't make him feel safer on his route.

Argued crime has fallen for decades without ALPRs, cited error rates and false-arrest costs, and urged Lansing to join cities canceling Flock.

Ward 1 resident cited ICE abuse of the systems and urged passage of the resolution plus a follow-up ordinance.

A Lansing School Board candidate and middle-school teacher said cameras wouldn't make his classroom safer — relationships do.

An LCC anthropology instructor and data analyst said the cameras capture data on everyone and urged investing in poverty reduction instead.

Downtown resident briefly urged removal of all Flock cameras and rejection of mass surveillance.

Local artist urged the council to slow the surveillance state and cancel the contract.

Ward 1 homeowner said cameras incentivize keeping personal records to refute faulty evidence, undermining innocence until proven guilty.

Former LCC trustee and small business owner said a camera wouldn't have stopped a shooting she witnessed, and urged spending on schools and renter protections instead.

Homeowner said the system was installed without foresight and urged the council to acknowledge the mistake and take it down.

Cited national misuse cases — ICE tracking, police stalking, surveillance of dissent — and urged passage plus a broader ban.

Compared camera tracking to stalking and warned council members they will be held electorally accountable for their votes.

Downtown resident said the cameras are tools of repression and that he trusts his neighbors more than tech oligarchs.

Questioned why cameras appeared at a community resource center and urged redirecting tax resources to helping neighbors.

Ward 4 homeowner who witnessed a fatal 2021 shooting said surveillance wouldn't have prevented it and urged slowing the pace of AI adoption.

Ward 1 homeowner with Deflock Lansing urged passage and removal of the readers in favor of evidence-based safety strategies.

Said the surveillance infrastructure violates privacy and doesn't improve public safety; asked for a yes vote.

MSU philosophy PhD candidate detailed documented cases of officers using Flock to stalk domestic partners and questioned the company's new safeguards.

MSU sociology PhD candidate summarized academic research on ALPR harms and urged termination plus an ordinance.

A social worker read a list of documented officer misconduct cases involving Flock cameras nationwide, including stalkers using the system on partners.

A data-center industry professional described how easily such systems expose personal lives and said she was disgusted the council signed up.

Ward 1 voter supported the resolution and urged pressure on the Mayor and LPD to do their jobs without violating residents' rights.

Ward 3 resident supported the resolution but asked the council to add teeth — a termination timeline and public audits.

First-time commenter from the Fourth Ward cited high error rates in Roseville and LAPD's exit from Flock and urged termination.

Ten-year First Ward resident urged council members to accept personal responsibility for foreseeable harms of the system.

A first-ward domestic violence survivor with an ex who is a professional hacker said the technology is a personal safety threat and listed more officer misuse cases.

Ward 9? resident with deep family roots said data gets sold repeatedly and warned cameras will deter international students from visiting Lansing.

Said surveillance chills speech and assembly in the state's capital, where people come to protest.

A 21-year resident and trans person said the cameras could be used to target vulnerable people and yield their time.

Downtown resident who commutes past Flock cameras said no private equity should track residents without transparency, citing the $181,000 contract.

Business owner and homeowner said the cameras build profiles on people, damage psychological safety, and urged removal of the physical infrastructure.

A new homeowner who loves Lansing urged a yes vote as a forward-looking statement for the city.

Said local government needs to provide stability amid federal chaos and asked members to choose residents over big tech.

East Lansing resident working downtown cited Flock employees watching children's gymnastics classes in Georgia and questioned whether the city can afford the errors.

Spoke against the noise waiver as ridiculous and said her August 2 email to the police chief about Flock controls went unanswered; urged termination and no future cameras.

Community engagement worker urged removal of the cameras and a ban on AI surveillance, saying residents deserve privacy.

Homeowner said he counts cameras on his commute and warned Flock keeps recording even after contracts are terminated; demanded warrants.

Thanked Kost for the resolution and urged termination of all contracts and removal of all cameras.

Returned in the second comment period to speak further on the Flock resolution.

Returned to commend the council's vote on the Flock resolution.