Documented Incident
Independence Township board votes 7-0 to end Flock contract and remove eight cameras
Event: September 8, 2026 · First reported: September 15, 2026 · 6 sources
On Sept. 8, the Independence Township board in Oakland County, Michigan voted unanimously to terminate its year-to-year agreement with Flock Safety and remove the eight license plate reader cameras installed in the township. The motion directs staff to settle any balance owed through September 2026, seek reimbursement for unused credits, pursue legal action if needed to secure camera removal, and obtain an affidavit confirming Flock has purged all township-related data collected since the program began in 2024. Supervisor Chuck Phyle said the vote reflected resident concerns and a broader review of township spending. The decision comes as voters prepare to consider a police millage proposal on Nov. 3, after a similar request failed in August.
The township asserted ownership of the ALPR data and demanded documented deletion, a contract-exit approach other communities may look to. The debate also shows how surveillance technology can become entangled with local police funding votes.
Key facts
- Board voted 7-0 on Sept. 8 to cancel the Flock Safety contract and remove all eight cameras.
- Township says it owns the data and will require an affidavit confirming deletion of records dating to 2024.
- Officials listed Clawson, Ferndale, Westland and Milford as other area communities that have canceled Flock contracts.
- An August police millage of 3.2 mills failed 5,272 (46.4%) to 6,080 (53.6%); a 3.2-mill proposal returns to the ballot Nov. 3.
- Some residents said at the meeting they voted against the millage over Flock; Trustee David Heyward questioned that reasoning.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Independence Township cancels Flock camera contract (The Oakland Press, September 15, 2026)
- Independence Township terminates contract with Flock Safety (Clarkston News, September 16, 2026)
- Independence Township residents speak out against Flock cameras (Detroit Local News, September 15, 2026)
- Independence Township ending contract with Flock after residents' concerns and to cut costs (WXYZ Channel 7, September 14, 2026)
- Independence Township ends Flock partnership amid privacy concerns from residents (Fox Two Detroit, September 14, 2026)
- Independence Township votes to remove Flock cameras (ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4, September 14, 2026)
More from Michigan
Everything we have documented in Michigan, or search every Michigan article in the archive.
About this record
BlockFlockNow documents reported incidents involving Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers: council votes, contract decisions, misuse by authorized users, lawsuits, audits, and community response. Every record is reviewed by a person before publication. New to the topic? Start with What is Flock?, find meetings near you, or learn how to request your town's camera records.
Updated September 16, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.