Oakland County commissioners are slated to take a high-profile vote today on whether to let Flock Safety roll out drones as first responders for the sheriff’s office. The nine-month pilot, dubbed "Project Prove It" in county paperwork, would place seven drones across the county at no upfront cost. If officials do not opt out by Dec. 15, 2026, however, the trial could flip into a two-year contract worth $2.5 million. The proposal has already drawn packed hearings and a petition fighting any expansion of Flock contracts.
What the pilot would do
According to Flock Safety, its Drone as a First Responder system can automatically launch to certain 911 calls, beam back encrypted live video, and post redacted flight logs to a public transparency dashboard. At a county committee hearing, undersheriff Timothy Willis said the nine-month trial would provide seven drones for case-related investigations and that trained deputies, not contractors, would be operating the systems, as reported by ClickOnDetroit.
Contract terms and timeline
Reporting by MLive notes that the pilot period would be free for nine months, aside from any county liability if a drone is lost or damaged. The agreement includes a Dec. 15 opt-out deadline. If the county does nothing by that date, the deal converts into a two-year contract totaling $2.5 million. County packet materials list the drone item on the full commission agenda for a 6 p.m. Wednesday meeting in Pontiac.
Community pushback
Opponents are zeroing in on language in the county agenda that says, Flock shall own all rights to any data input into the Flock Services, and that the company may create and market public indexes, analysis, or insights from that material, according to documents posted on the Oakland County Civic Clerk portal. A related Change.org petition to cancel Flock contracts in Oakland County has pulled in roughly 2,700 verified signatures as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Change.org, reflecting wider anxiety over who ultimately controls drone footage and metadata.
Sheriff's office: built-in transparency and limits
The sheriff’s office has pitched the pilot as a narrowly tailored public-safety tool, not a roving eye in the sky. Officials told reporters that every drone flight would be logged on a public transparency dashboard and that the aircraft would not be used for routine patrols, according to ClickOnDetroit. Public information officers said the drones are meant primarily for search and rescue, missing-person calls, and active incidents where fast aerial video can keep both deputies and bystanders safer.
Legal and privacy questions remain
Privacy advocates are pointing to earlier problems with automated identification systems as a cautionary tale. Reporting by MLive recounts how Angela Lipps was arrested in July 2025 after an erroneous match by a public-safety AI program, then spent months in jail before being released on Dec. 24, 2025, a case critics say shows the risks of ratcheting up automated surveillance tools.
Flock, for its part, says federal agencies such as ICE do not have direct access to its cameras or data unless a local customer affirmatively chooses to share, and the company highlights encryption, audit logs, and other controls in its product and policy materials, as detailed on the Flock Safety blog.
What's next
The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote at 6 p.m. Wednesday at 1200 N. Telegraph Road in Pontiac, where residents have been lining up to speak during public comment, according to the county clerk’s posted agenda and meeting materials. The decision will determine whether Oakland County takes Flock’s drone program for a nine-month, no-cost test drive or sets itself on a path to a longer, multimillion-dollar contract if officials do not opt out after the trial.
