Michigan City Chief of Police talks updates to Flock Security use in the city

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. -- Police Chief Steven Forker presented an updated plan Tuesday as the City Council revisited a request to move $300,000 from the city’s rainy-day fund to the police department for additional Flock technology.

The council tabled the original request last month after concerns were raised about the potential for widespread surveillance throughout the city.

“A lot of concerns were raised at the previous meeting regarding Flock, essentially just the overall blanket surveillance,” Forker said.

Under the original proposal, the department sought to purchase 20 live cameras that would provide broader coverage throughout Michigan City.

The updated plan removes the live cameras and instead focuses on strategically placing pan-tilt-zoom, or PTZ, cameras in more populated areas, particularly downtown.

Forker said the department adjusted its proposal after hearing concerns from residents and council members.

“We decided to focus more on the downtown district,” Forker said.

The department is still seeking funding for a drone. It also added a proposal to purchase a mobile Flock Safety trailer that could be deployed during downtown events.

Forker said the trailer can operate using solar power and typically includes PTZ cameras capable of providing a 360-degree view of an area.

The department also highlighted a change to Flock Safety’s data retention policy, where data could potentially be retained for seven days instead of 30 days.

Forker said the changes demonstrate that the company is responding to nationwide community concerns, and he has confidence in his department to use the technology appropriately.

“There’s law enforcement officers across the country that do things that ultimately make us all look bad,” Forker said. “The members of our department, I feel like, are great people. They’re members of the community; they’re people who truly want to see this community thrive.”

The ordinance to transfer the $300,000 remains in its first of three required readings.