The Marshall County Council voted Monday to defund Flock cameras in next year’s budget. It's a debate happening more and more across Michiana.
The all-Republican council voted 4-3 for council member Nicole Cox’s motion to reduce the Flock camera line item in the 2027 prosecutor’s budget from $20,000 to zero.
“I have done a lot of research for and against," Cox said. "My biggest concern right now is we have zero guardrails in place. Everyone has access to our cameras.”
Council president Tim Harman agreed and said he doesn’t think residents want to be constantly surveilled in public.
“To me, a license plate reader is one thing," Harman said, "but then again this network will track your movements and the more dots on that map, we start to connect the dots and get a clearer and clearer picture of what someone does with their life.”
But council member Greg Compton voted to keep Flock cameras.
“Flock cameras have helped police find kidnapped children, rescue trafficking victims, and all of the sudden we’re just going to wipe all that way, which puts people at risk, I think terrible risk," Compton said.
