Sterling Heights City Council Meeting - August 6, 2026

The Sterling Heights City Council met on August 6, 2026, at 14:28 UTC. The meeting included a detailed presentation on the police department's use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) from Flock Safety, extensive council and public debate, the swearing-in of four new police officers, approval of a liquor license transfer for a new pool hall, and reports on city events.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was approved unanimously.
• The consent agenda was approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Several residents spoke during the communications from citizens segment, overwhelmingly expressing opposition to the Flock camera system. Key points included:
  • A resident stated that Flock is a data broker and has violated contracts by exposing municipal data; cited cancellations by Ferndale, Milford, Clawson, and Westland.
  • A speaker presented FBI Crime Data Explorer statistics showing that Sterling Heights' overall clearance rate decreased from 34% (four years pre-Flock, 2019–2022) to 30% (three years post-Flock, 2023–2025). Specific crimes like motor vehicle theft and shoplifting showed stagnant or declining solve rates post-Flock.
  • Another speaker cited ACLU data that less than 1% of scanned plates are linked to crime, and 1 in 10 plates are misread. Also noted that Flock employees have accessed cameras inappropriately (e.g., a children's gymnastics room).
  • A resident warned of traffic safety risks from police responding to Flock hits.
  • A speaker called for a municipally developed system instead.
  • A retired police lieutenant with 26 years of experience spoke strongly in favor of Flock, sharing success stories of catching criminals (e.g., a purse snatcher, a gun-wielding suspect) and argued that the system is a valuable tool that makes the city safer.

Discussion Items

• City Manager's Report: Mark Vanderpool announced the beautification awards (nominations due August 28) and Sterling Heights being a finalist for the Michigan Municipal League 2026 Community Excellence Award for the community garden project.
• Flock ALPR Presentation: Police Chief Andrew Satterfield and Captain Jason Bisdorf presented on the use of 24 Flock cameras. They explained the technology captures license plates, vehicle make/model, date/time, and location; data retained 30 days; no facial recognition, no pan/tilt/zoom; policies require case number for searches; monthly audits; blocking of searches for immigration or reproductive care; and no federal access.
• Council Discussion on Flock:
  • Councilman Radkey expressed strong opposition, labeling it mass surveillance and dangerous. He proposed canceling the contract and creating a local misdemeanor for misuse. He noted that the presentation was not on the agenda and felt sandbagged.
  • Councilwoman Sarowski asked detailed questions about heat maps, red flags, and external agency access. She supported a local misdemeanor and requested data on clearance rates before and after Flock.
  • Councilman Schmidt kept an open mind but sought IT security details and noted that contract language may have changed.
  • Councilman Yannis expressed concern about Fourth Amendment rights and oversight, but supported the tool as beneficial. He suggested contacting state legislators.
  • Councilwoman Zarko supported the continuation, stating she is not worried if not doing anything wrong.
  • Mayor Taylor expressed skepticism, noting the lack of quantified success data and concerns about data security and external searches from other agencies.
• Key Decisions on Flock: No vote was taken on contract renewal (it was a report item). However, council directed (without objection) that the city terminate any Flock data-sharing agreements with agencies that have a 287(g) agreement (federal immigration enforcement). Council also requested a data analysis of clearance rates pre- and post-Flock, security information from Flock and the city's IT director, and confirmation of contract terms regarding data sharing.
• Liquor License Transfer: Approved a request to transfer a Class C license with entertainment permit from Ladone's Bar and Grill (Chesterfield) to Palm Billiards at 42108 Van Dyke Avenue. The applicant confirmed conditional state approval and no prior violations. Approved unanimously.
• Appointments: Postponed to the September 15 meeting for the Youth Advisory Board and Arts Commission, after a brief discussion about applications.

Key Outcomes

• Flock: Council gave direction to terminate data-sharing with 287(g) agencies. No immediate action on contract renewal; further information requested.
• Liquor license transfer approved unanimously.
• New police officers sworn in: Four officers (Arthur Gilleski, Kevin Wilds, DeMario Walk, Robert Perrowitz) took their oaths.
• Consent agenda and regular agenda approved.
• Meeting adjourned after council comments on elections and Sterlingfest.