Citizens sound off on Flock cameras as commissioners consider contract's future

Flock cameras may not have been on the Marshall County Commissioners' agenda Monday night, but that didn't stop a standing-room-only crowd from making their voices heard during the public input session — with citizens sharply divided over whether the license plate readers keep the community safe or usher in an unwanted surveillance state.

The debate comes on the heels of a recent County Council vote in which four of seven members voted to defund the cameras in the Prosecutor's budget for 2027.

Robin Myers of Plymouth told the commissioners that giving law enforcement technology is a good thing. While acknowledging the concerns, she suggested keeping the license plate readers for another year and highlighting the number of cases in Marshall County the cameras have helped solve — including a kidnapped baby found within a short time.

"Now we have to determine if the good outweighs the bad and implement regular audit searches and establish consequences for misuse," Myers said.

Kayla Krathwohl also spoke in favor of the cameras, saying that if anything happened to her child and she couldn't find them, removing the cameras would be taking away a service law enforcement needs and "handcuffing them." She suggested working with the vendor to modify the contract into something the county can approve.

Laura Brockway asked the commissioners to officially cancel the Flock contract, telling them, "We the People decide how we want to live in Marshall County, and we do not want government cameras watching us."

Thor (Paul) Hebner said that while he backs law enforcement and appreciates the work they do to keep communities safe, he's against the surveillance state and believes privacy matters. Hebner also addressed accusations that Flock opponents are communists or support communist China, calling the claim laughable. "China is a surveillance state," he said. As a veteran, he said it is insulting to be accused of being a communist.

Dustin Peltz of Bremen said it is time to end the surveillance state, arguing that officials don't have control over who uses the cameras, with hundreds of thousands of looks logged nationwide.

Mark Vogt questioned the constitutional authority and said the overwhelming majority of people in the county don't want to be surveilled. "We the People of Marshall County are requesting the commissioners to cancel the Flock contract," he said.

Caleb Croy, a rural Plymouth resident and father of six, told the commissioners he doesn't believe the Flock cameras protect his children any better than he can.

Joshua Croy of Argos, owner of a cybersecurity company, told the commissioners there should always be auditing of systems being accessed and how they could be accessed in a manner they should be accessed.

Before the meeting closed, Commissioner Jessie Bohannon said that with all the people who showed up, they deserve a vote on the Flock cameras. He said the people who are opposed are much greater in number than those who support it, and he wants to see the sheriff and prosecutor step up "like in Kosciusko County did."

Bohannon made a motion to terminate the contract with Flock immediately, but the motion died for lack of a second.

Commissioner Adam Faulstich asked to have Flock placed on an official agenda, noting it hasn't been on one before. He said there are a lot of people on the fence — while they might not like the cameras, they see the benefit.

Commissioner Stan Klotz asked where the incoming prosecutor and sheriff fit into the issue, since they are the ones who will be dealing with it.

Faulstich then raised a legal question: since the prosecutor is a state employee and signed the contract, does the board have the authority to terminate it?

County Attorney Sean Surrisi told them, "Not directly." He continued, "If doors are being closed by county officials the prosecutor is dependent on to do business, then in practicality you can force his hand." Surrisi said there needs to be a discussion with the prosecutor.

The Marshall County Commissioners set a tentative public meeting for October 6 at 6 p.m. in the second-floor meeting room of the County Building to continue the discussion.