Genesee County pauses Flock camera contract renewals over data concerns

Commissioners want assurances about the security and use of data collected by the license plate reading cameras.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 1:47pm

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Genesee County has postponed decisions on whether to renew contracts for its 30 Flock Safety cameras amid concerns about the security of the data that's collected. Commissioners want to ensure the data is properly protected and not shared with outside agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement without their knowledge.

Why it matters

The use of license plate reading cameras has raised privacy concerns, with critics arguing they create a mass surveillance infrastructure. Genesee County officials want to balance the technology's crime-fighting benefits with protecting residents' Fourth Amendment rights.

The details

The county Board of Commissioners paused decisions on two Flock camera contracts after Commissioner Shaun Shumaker expressed worries about how the data is secured and shared. Shumaker said he wants assurances the data isn't being sold or accessed by outside organizations. Sheriff Chris Swanson has praised the cameras for helping solve crimes, but acknowledged he's never authorized sharing data with federal agencies like ICE.

  • On January 28, 2026, the Genesee County Board of Commissioners postponed decisions on Flock camera contract renewals.
  • In August 2025, Flock put pilot programs with the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement on hold.

The players

Genesee County Board of Commissioners

The governing body of Genesee County, Michigan that oversees decisions about the county's use of Flock Safety license plate reading cameras.

Shaun Shumaker

A Republican commissioner on the Genesee County Board who expressed concerns about the security and sharing of data collected by the Flock cameras.

Chris Swanson

The sheriff of Genesee County who has praised the Flock cameras for helping solve crimes, but said he's never authorized sharing data with federal agencies.

Flock Safety

The company that provides the license plate reading cameras used by Genesee County and over 4,000 other communities nationwide.

Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency that has raised privacy concerns about the potential use of Flock camera data.

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What’s next

The Genesee County Board of Commissioners will continue to review the Flock camera contracts and data security concerns before deciding whether to renew the agreements.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debate over the use of license plate reading technology and the need to balance public safety benefits with protecting individual privacy rights. Genesee County officials are taking a cautious approach to ensure the data collected is properly secured and not misused.