Documented Incident
Starke County Sheriff's Office declines to renew Flock camera contract amid Indiana misuse cases
First reported: September 9, 2026 · 5 sources
The Starke County Sheriff's Office in Indiana has ended its Flock Safety license plate reader contract, declining to renew it, according to a press release reported Sept. 9, 2026. The department said it had followed its standard operating procedures for Flock use and acknowledged benefits of the cameras, but said the sheriff made the decision in the community's interest and to maintain trust through transparency. No further explanation for the termination was released. The decision follows a series of disciplinary cases involving Flock searches at other Indiana agencies.
A sheriff's office ending an ALPR contract without citing a specific local incident illustrates how misuse findings at neighboring agencies can shape procurement decisions elsewhere, and raises questions other communities face about auditing and public trust.
Key facts
- Starke County Sheriff's Office formally terminated its renewal of its Flock contract; no additional reason was made public.
- In Porter County, Lt. Michael Piazza was demoted, suspended without pay and barred from using the department's plate reader after an internal investigation found an improper search; Sheriff Jeff Balon and Prosecutor Gary Germann declined to file criminal charges.
- Chesterton Police Chief Tim Richardson opened an internal review Aug. 25 after an out-of-state outlet asked about search data from HaveIBeenFlocked.com; Cpl. Christopher Schoof resigned Aug. 27 ahead of a termination hearing.
- Michigan City opened an internal investigation after a routine audit flagged searches of questionable legitimacy; findings are to be forwarded to the LaPorte County Prosecutor's Office for review.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Starke County Sheriff discontinues Flock contract (The Times Of Northwest Indiana | Breaking News | R, September 9, 2026)
- Starke County Sheriff discontinues renewal of contract with Flock cameras (wimsradio.com, September 9, 2026)
- Starke County will not renew its contract with Flock, sheriff says (WNDU, September 8, 2026)
- Starke County not renewing Flock contract (wsbt.com, September 9, 2026)
- Starke County sheriff decides not to renew contract for Flock cameras (WVPE, September 9, 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 September 12, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.