Tewolde v. Genesee County
Kettering University student Josh Tewolde is suing Genesee County after it withheld key records about its use of Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras.
The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation filed a lawsuit on behalf of Kettering University student and Genesee County resident Josh Tewolde to enforce Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act.
Tewolde requested basic information about Genesee County’s Flock Safety cameras, including:
The county’s contract with Flock Safety.
A map identifying where Flock cameras are installed.
Audit logs showing who accessed camera data and when.
Records of scans involving his own vehicle.
Flock cameras are automated license plate readers, or ALPRs. They passively capture images of passing vehicles, recording license plates as well as visible details such as a vehicle’s make, model and color. The resulting information is retained in a searchable database that law enforcement can later use in criminal investigations.
In response to Josh’s FOIA request, Genesee County produced some records, including its contract with Flock, but it withheld important information: camera locations, audit logs and records of Tewolde’s vehicle scans. The county claimed that Flock owns those records even though the county’s contract states that the county owns the data. Per the company’s website, Flock has publicly stated that its customers own 100% of their data.
Tewolde’s interest in this technology began in high school, when he built a license-plate reader for a class project and heard classmates raise privacy concerns about the prospect of being tracked. As a local resident interested in technology and privacy, he submitted the requests to learn how his local government deploys and oversees this surveillance tool.
When government deploys surveillance technology, the public has a right to know how, where and why it is being used.
Audit logs, camera maps and access records are central to accountability. They can reveal whether officials are accessing surveillance information for legitimate purposes, whether safeguards are being followed and whether the system is vulnerable to misuse. Without them, the public cannot meaningfully evaluate a surveillance program capable of creating searchable location histories of drivers who are not suspected of wrongdoing.
“I submitted these FOIA requests because I wanted to understand how surveillance technology is being used in my community. The public deserves access to basic information about government surveillance, especially when it involves technology that can track people’s movements. This lawsuit is about transparency and accountability, so citizens can have an informed conversation about the balance between public safety and privacy.” – Josh Tewolde
“This case is about a fundamental principle: when government uses surveillance technology, the public has a right to audit how it’s being used. Genesee County can’t outsource transparency to a private vendor. If the county owns the data, FOIA applies—period. Josh is standing up for that principle, not just for himself but for every Michigan resident who deserves to know how their government is tracking their movements.” - Steve Delie
Case update: The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation filed the case in Genesee County 7th Judicial Circuit Court on
