Chapelle News

Berrien County Sheriff Explains Flock Camera Use to Commissioners, Citing Stolen Vehicles, Hit and Runs and a Parental Kidnapping Case in the County

ST. JOSEPH, MI — Berrien County Sheriff Chuck Heit told county commissioners Thursday that the sheriff’s department has been using Flock license plate cameras under a pilot program approved in 2022 and a five-year contract signed in 2024. He said the county now has 20 fixed cameras on poles and one mobile unit, and that deputies have used the system to help solve several types of cases.

Heit also tried to address concerns that the devices amount to spy cameras. He told commissioners the system does not provide constant surveillance, does not use facial recognition, and only captures snapshots of license plates along with the date, time and location.

How The System Works

According to Heit, Flock does not track where a vehicle came from and cannot identify who owns it. He said the system is tied to law enforcement information rather than Secretary of State records, and that a hit can occur when a plate has been entered as stolen or flagged because of an incident under investigation.

He said those alerts can also connect to cases involving crime, a missing child or an Amber Alert. Heit added that the department stores the data for 30 days and allows license plate searches only when officers have a legitimate law enforcement purpose and a police case number.

Cases Cited By Heit

Heit told commissioners the cameras have helped the department resolve a parental kidnapping case, recover stolen vehicles and clear hit and run crashes. He did not give additional details about those investigations during the presentation, but said the cameras have become a valuable tool for solving a range of crimes in the county.

He also said the sheriff’s department reviews each license plate check internally to help prevent abuse. Beyond the county government, he said many local municipalities, businesses and even homeowner’s associations in Berrien County have begun using Flock and that the technology comes with significant responsibilities.

Transparency And Oversight

County Board Chair Mac Elliott said it is important to make sure the system does not infringe on anyone’s rights. He added that privacy expectations on a sidewalk or street are not the same as they are inside a home or other private space.

Heit said he plans to add Flock usage reports to his monthly updates in the interest of transparency. The sheriff’s office has not said when those reports will begin, and commissioners did not announce any new policy changes during the meeting. Residents seeking updates would need to follow the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office and county commission proceedings.

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