OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — The Ottawa County sheriff is pushing back against public concern over the county's use of license plate reader cameras, saying much of the criticism is based on misinformation — while also revealing that a 19-year-old has been charged with deliberately destroying one of the devices. The statement from Sheriff Eric DeBoer comes after residents raised concerns at this week's Ottawa County Board of Commissioners meeting, where commissioners suggested holding a future work session on the topic. DeBoer said he takes the public's concerns seriously and welcomes a work session with the board but said much of the fear surrounding the technology stems from misunderstanding. "A lot of the concern being raised is based on misinformation or a genuine misunderstanding of what this system actually does," DeBoer said. "To be clear: it captures an image of a license plate already visible on a public roadway, the same information any deputy could lawfully observe and photograph without a warrant." He laid out specifically what the system does and does not do: It checks plates against law enforcement databases for stolen vehicles, missing persons and Amber Alerts. - It does not run the plate with the Secretary of State to find the registered owner. - It does not use facial recognition. - It does not know who's driving. - It does not track where a vehicle is headed. - It is not used for traffic enforcement. "Every search of our system requires a documented reason, and no enforcement action is ever taken based on an alert alone; deputies independently verify every hit before acting," DeBoer explained. Since 2024, the Flock system has contributed to 124 arrests in Ottawa County, helped recover more than $906,000 in stolen property and led to the recovery of 72 stolen vehicles and 11 illegally