Kettering student sues Genesee County over secret Flock camera records

Genesee County’s records of automated license plate readers are public information that must be open to review by the people, a Michigan college student argues in a new lawsuit over data collected by Flock Safety.

Kettering University student Josh Tewolde sued in the Genesee County 7th Judicial Circuit Court Aug. 18 after the county refused to release key public records concerning its use of data collected by Flock license plate readers.

The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation represents Tewolde in the suit asking the Genesee County Circuit Court to require the county to disclose records requested under Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act. Tewolde seeks a map of Flock camera locations, audit logs showing who accessed the camera data and when, and records of scans involving Tewolde’s own vehicle.

There are about 4,000 Flock cameras in Michigan, according to the activist website “Deflock.”

Genesee County declined to make a statement on the case. Flock did not respond to a request for comment.

Flock cameras capture images of each passing vehicle, including its license plate, along with visible details such as make, model and color. The information is stored in a searchable database. The cameras watch and log the activities of law-abiding citizens, and amid a rash of stalking allegations involving police officers, critics are emphasizing the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition on warrantless and unreasonable searches.

2026.08.18 Complaint by mcclallen

When Tewolde requested Flock camera records, Genesee County produced some documents, but it withheld the camera-location information, audit logs and vehicle-scan data.

Tewolde requested records to understand how surveillance technology is used in his community. The county claimed that Atlanta-based Flock owns the requested information, though Genesee County’s contract with the company states that the county owns its data.

“I submitted these FOIA requests because I wanted to understand how surveillance technology is being used in my community,” Tewolde said in a press release. “The public deserves access to basic information about government surveillance, especially when it involves technology that can track people’s movements. This lawsuit is about transparency and accountability, so citizens can have an informed conversation about the balance between public safety and privacy.”

The 80-page lawsuit raises a broader question about whether government agencies can avoid Michigan Freedom of Information Act obligations by routing surveillance operations through private vendors. Government agencies have a history of skirting Michigan FOIA obligations by claiming that public records belong to private contractors.

“This case is about a fundamental principle: When government uses surveillance technology, the public has a right to audit how it is being used,” said Steve Delie, senior attorney at the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation. “Genesee County can’t outsource transparency to a private vendor. If the county owns the data, FOIA applies — period.”

Governments and supporters of surveillance tech point out that Flock cameras have been used to catch suspected criminals. The Grand Blanc Township Police Department announced July 31 that officers acting on an alert from a Flock camera had arrested two people accused of a 3 a.m. armed robbery and carjacking.

Police employees have abused the system to stalk people who haven’t been accused of crimes. Three officers in Georgia were fired after they allegedly used Flock camera data to stalk people, The New York Times reported in early August.