Ask IC Chief about Flock Camera

Dear Editor,

Ask IC Police Chief Ruston if having Flock Camera would benefit the city?

As a concerned Lapeer County citizen who welcomes newly appointed Imlay City Police Chief Charles Ruston, it would be good to know his professional point-of-view on use of Flock Camera surveillance system equipment.

It is my understanding that Chief Rushton’s former employer, the City of Warren Mi., has successfully utilized Flock Camera surveillance to serve and protect citizens in the effort to prevent and fight crime.

Google AI states, “Yes, the Warren Police Department utilizes Flock Safety automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras to track stolen vehicles, identify felony suspects, and locate missing persons.

The city deployed these solar-powered cameras to monitor “common paths of flight” for criminals and shares this data with neighboring cities.”

In October 2022, Detroit’s FOX News anchor Charlie Langton and digital journalist Amber Ainsworth reported, “Warren police credit license plate readers with helping solve rapes, murders, other violent crimes.”

I think it would be a good Tri-City Times first question to ask Chief Rushton.

And then, it’d be wise in following up with elected Warren City Councilman member Gary Boike (District 5) about the use of Flock Camera surveillance system.

Reason being, Boike is a retired law enforcement career officer, regularly assigned to high-profile drug interdiction cases working with city, state and federal law enforcement entities; an officer who has been dedicated to public safety since back in the early 70’s when he mentored/warned me about staying away from terribly bad influences in his native hometown of Hamtramck, Michigan.

I’m sincerely proud to have Warren City Councilman Boike being my first cousin, a super-professional who has always cared deeply about public safety and crime prevention.

I sincerely feel Imlay City can benefit from his point-of-view on the use of Flock Camera surveillance systems.

—Kenneth Hreha
Dryden, Mi.