Aug. 27, 2026 | Is Surveillance about Safety, or Privacy? Trust May be the Hardest Part.

Stephen Henderson and producer Jake Neher drove around Detroit with Kyle Zawacki, legislative director for the ACLU of Michigan, looking for Flock cameras — automated license plate readers used by police departments across the state.Police say the cameras help solve serious crimes and find missing people. Civil liberties advocates say they also create a searchable record of where ordinary drivers go, raising questions about privacy, surveillance, data sharing and public oversight.In studio, Stephen is joined by Berrien County Sheriff Chuck Heit, who explains why law enforcement agencies use the technology, and State Rep. Jimmie Wilson (D-Ypsilanti), sponsor of legislation that would create statewide safeguards for Flock cameras and similar systems.Together with callers, they ask: Do these cameras make communities safer, less free, or both? And what rules should Michigan have for technology that can track where cars move through public space?Call us anytime at 734-412-7155, or email us at [email protected] our online community at www.MIweneedtotalk.org