Madison Heights dispensary blocked Flock camera with 'No Flock Zone' sign, says city threatened sanctions

First reported: August 11, 2026 · 1 source

JARS Cannabis in Madison Heights, Michigan placed a large sign reading "No Flock Zone" in front of a Flock automated license plate reader aimed at its parking lot. The dispensary said in a statement that the city then sent a demand letter warning of sanctions unless the sign was removed within 48 hours, and that it is now working toward a resolution with city representatives. The camera was reported by WXYZ as still in place with the sign gone. The camera stems from a settlement of the dispensary's lawsuit against the city, in which the owner agreed to install a Flock camera at the lot entrance and give Madison Heights Police unhindered live access.

Why this matters

The dispute illustrates how ALPR access can be embedded in licensing and litigation settlements rather than public policy debate, raising questions about how such conditions are negotiated and reviewed.

Key facts

JARS Cannabis said the City of Madison Heights issued a demand letter warning of sanctions if the sign was not removed within 48 hours.
Under the settlement that allowed the dispensary to open, the owner agreed to a Flock camera at the parking lot entrance with live access for Madison Heights Police.
WXYZ said it contacted multiple city representatives and did not receive a response.
State Sen. Jim Runestad has introduced Senate Bill 1131 to limit the use and scope of traffic camera data; he said Michigan currently has no restrictions and alleged officers elsewhere have misused such systems to track ex-partners.
Flock said it supports what it called common-sense regulation with safeguards and accountability mechanisms, and offered to act as a resource to the legislature.

Sources

This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.

'No Flock Zone' Controversy brewing over Flock camera at Madison Heights dispensary (WXYZ Channel 7, August 11, 2026)

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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 August 12, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.