Michigan City Police Want to Add Flock Cameras to Busy Areas

The Michigan City Police Department wants to install special cameras called Flock cameras in some of the city's busiest areas. These cameras read license plates and collect details about vehicles, like their color, make, and model. Police leaders presented the plan to the Michigan City Common Council at a Tuesday meeting. The council's finance committee decided to set the plan aside and discuss it more at a later date.

Assistant Police Chief Kyle Shiparski explained the department's plan to the council. He said that many people in the community have already asked questions about the cameras. He noted that those questions have shifted from whether the cameras can help police to bigger concerns about privacy, data sharing, and keeping officers accountable. Shiparski said the department takes those concerns very seriously.

Flock cameras work by reading license plates and collecting information about vehicles. According to the Flock Safety website, the cameras can identify a car's plate number, make, model, and color. However, the American Civil Liberties Union, a group that protects people's rights, has raised concerns about the technology. The ACLU says Flock is building a dangerous system of mass surveillance across the country.

The Michigan City Police Department already has one Flock plate reader, but the department plans to scale it back. It also plans to reduce its Raven gunshot detection system, which alerts officers when shots are fired nearby. Instead, the department wants to add seven Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras, one mobile Flock Safety Trailer, one Drone as a First Responder, and five Community Partnership Cameras. The PTZ cameras would be placed in busy areas like the Franklin Street corridor, the South Shore train station, and Washington Park.

Shiparski said those areas have large numbers of people moving through them every day. They include spots where tourists visit, businesses operate, and community events are held. He said the exact locations for the cameras have not been chosen yet. The department had earlier proposed 20 fixed cameras spread across the city, but that idea was removed after community feedback.

Flock camera data will be stored for 30 days, which follows Indiana's rules for keeping records. Shiparski said the department is still writing its policies for how the cameras will be used. He also made clear that the technology is not meant to replace police officers on the street. The department wants to balance public safety with respect for people's privacy.

Several council members said they do not want the cameras' data shared with federal immigration officials. Councilwoman Nancy Moldenhauer and Councilman Joe Nelson both said they don't want U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, to have access to the information. Moldenhauer added that she would feel better knowing the data is not shared with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Currently, Michigan City police do not share information with ICE or border control.

Shiparski said that if federal agencies asked for help with a criminal investigation, the department would be legally required to assist. Councilman Bryant Dabney said he was glad to see changes made to the original plan, but he also said rules about punishing officers who misuse the system need to be written into law. Councilman Vidya Kora added that he wants to limit how much information is shared with state and federal agencies, especially about people who are not being investigated locally.

Councilman Don Przybylinski told Shiparski that being open and honest with the public is the most important part of the process. He said that even if some residents don't like what is being proposed, the police have given the community a chance to share their thoughts. He believes the conversation must continue so that people in Michigan City can trust the program. Building that trust, he said, is key to making the plan work.