Last updated Oct 21, 2026

Sterling Heights, MI: Council votes 4-3 to renew Flock Safety contract for two more years

Sterling Heights City Council voted 4-3 on Oct. 20, 2026 to renew the city's contract with Flock Safety for two more years. The prior contract was set to expire in December. The city operates 23 cameras at 19 locations, at a cost of about $84,100 per year paid from state criminal forfeiture funds. The meeting ran more than 5.5 hours, with over 3 hours of public comment.

What happened

At its Oct. 20, 2026 meeting, Sterling Heights City Council voted 4-3 to renew its Flock Safety contract for two more years. The vote came after more than 5.5 hours of meeting time, including over 3 hours of public comment from residents on both sides of the issue. The renewed contract keeps the city's 23 cameras at 19 locations operational. The prior contract was set to expire in December.

The vote: 4-3 to renew

The council voted 4-3 on Oct. 20, 2026 to renew the Flock Safety contract for two more years. The meeting ran more than 5.5 hours, with over 3 hours of public comment from residents on both sides of the issue.

The contract covers 23 cameras at 19 locations across the city. The annual cost is about $84,100, paid from state criminal forfeiture funds rather than the general fund. The prior contract was set to expire in December.

What police say about the system

According to city officials and Police Chief Andrew Satterfield, Flock data is not shared with federal law enforcement. Outside requests require a documented reason. Data is deleted after 30 days unless it is part of an active investigation. Officers average fewer than 20 searches a day, and the department now audits usage monthly.

Chief Satterfield wrote that ALPR is not used for random checks or general monitoring and does not see inside vehicles.

Michigan context

Sterling Heights joins Warren, which renewed its Flock contract in July 2026, in keeping its program. Several nearby Michigan communities have ended their Flock contracts in recent months: Clawson, Milford, Westland, St. Clair Shores, and Eastpointe.

What happens next

The renewed contract extends the city's Flock program for two more years. The 23 cameras at 19 locations remain operational. Cameras reported in Sterling Heights are shown on the Flock Locations map.

You can browse camera locations reported in Sterling Heights and surrounding Macomb County on the Flock Locations map, or see all cities with reported cameras.

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