Menominee Michigan Flock Cameras - Mayor Casey Hoffman #1984
The short version: A Michigan mayor's push for Flock cameras in Menominee stalls after the city council says no, per creator Wendy Coriell's video.
Our Take
Credit to Wendy Coriell for putting a local story on the record: a mayor wants ALPR cameras, a city council pumps the brakes. That's democracy working the way it's supposed to, and it's a pattern we'd like to see repeated in every small town getting a sales pitch from Flock Safety. These deals get framed as routine infrastructure votes, but they're really votes on whether to install a permanent, networked surveillance grid that logs every car that moves through town — residents and visitors alike, guilty of nothing.
What makes Menominee notable is that the council apparently pushed back rather than rubber-stamping the contract. That's rare. Most of these proposals sail through on vague promises about stolen cars and Amber Alerts, with little public debate about data retention, who gets access to the plate reads, or how easily the system can be repurposed for immigration sweeps, abortion-related tracking, or just garden-variety mission creep. A mayor wanting cameras is not the same as a community wanting cameras, and this video is a good reminder that local council meetings are where these fights actually get won or lost.
If you're in a town facing a similar pitch, don't wait for a YouTuber to cover your city council. Check our map to see what's already been deployed near you, and use our take-action resources to show up before the vote, not after the cameras are bolted to the pole.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Wendy Coriell, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.