GRAND RAPIDS, MI—A new “Flock Transparency Portal” has launched online showing how and when Flock’s automated license plate readers are used by the Grand Rapids Police Department and Kent County Sheriff’s Office.

Both agencies announced the launch of their respective portals on Tuesday, Sept. 8, giving the public a new look at how often the technology is used by investigators. The release of this data comes as many Grand Rapids residents have been raising concerns about the technology violating their privacy.

Through the new portals, the public can see how many license plates were scanned by local Flock cameras in Grand Rapids and Kent County in the last 30 days, how many times investigators searched GRPD’s and KCSO’s license plate databases, and the top reasons listed for those searches.

The websites also share how many other local, state and federal agencies can access GRPD’s and KCSO’s databases. The portals do not share where the Flock license plate readers are located.

GRPD has 29 Flock license plate readers stationed at intersections across the city. The new transparency portal shows those cameras have detected 478,245 unique license plates over the last 30 days. GRPD’s transparency portal can be found here.

The department’s database has been searched 1,340 times in the last 30 days, with the top five types of offenses listed for those searches being Wanted Person (Arrest Warrant/Fugitive); Motor Vehicle Theft/Stolen; Obstructing the Police (Fleeing/Eluding); Homicide/Death Investigation; and Welfare Check.

KCSO has 62 Flock cameras, which have detected 1,011,594 unique license plates over the last 30 days, according to its transparency portal, which can be viewed here.

The sheriff’s office’s database has been searched 1,257 times in the last 30 days, and the top five offense types listed for those searches were Drugs/Narcotics; Larceny/Theft Offenses; Wanted Person (Arrest Warrant/Fugitive); Motor Vehicle Theft/Stolen; and Obstructing the Police (Fleeing/Eluding).

“I have seen firsthand how Flock has helped our investigators solve serious crimes and bring answers to victims and families in Kent County,” Kent County Undersheriff Bryan Muir said in a statement. “Those outcomes matter, and so does how we achieve them. The public deserves to know how this technology is used, what limits are in place, and how we hold ourselves accountable.”

The sheriff’s office said the cameras do not provide live video, audio recordings or continuous GPS tracking, and they do not use facial recognition.

GRPD officials announced they were working on creating a new transparency portal with Flock during a presentation to the Grand Rapids public safety committee on Aug. 25.

Grand Rapids Deputy Chief Mike Maycroft said the new portal reflects the department’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

Authorities say Flock’s technology is a valuable tool that helps solve violent crimes more quickly by helping police track down suspect vehicles or locate missing persons in real time.

However, residents have raised concerns about Fourth Amendment privacy violations and the potential misuse of the technology.

The automated license plate readers scan the rear of vehicles as they drive through intersections, recording each vehicle’s license plate, make, color and any distinguishing features.

Each recorded vehicle and its marked location is automatically entered into Flock’s database, which authorities can search as part of criminal investigations. Police can also set up the system to alert them when a suspect vehicle is later flagged by a Flock camera.

All license plate searches conducted by GRPD through the Flock system are audited monthly. Flock records are retained for 30 days and then automatically deleted.

The sheriff’s department said the launch of the new transparency portal is “a starting point.”

“In the coming weeks, KCSO will continue reviewing its policies and publicly share updates addressing community concerns,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release Tuesday. “The office will also share verified case results explaining how the technology has supported investigations and the recovery of stolen property and funds for victims. These updates will address benefits, limitations, and oversight while protecting victims’ privacy and sensitive investigative information.”

Grand Rapids added automated license plate readers to the city’s surveillance policy last month following requests from commissioners to bring more transparency and public oversight to the city’s use of the technology.

Doing so means that any future expansion or renewal of Flock’s contract will require a public review process through the public safety committee and Grand Rapids City Commission. Grand Rapids’ Flock contract is next up for renewal in 2027.

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