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In an exclusive interview with Watershed Voice, Three Rivers Chief of Police Scott Boling and Detective Sgt. Steven Dibble said the cameras provide an additional investigative tool to help identify vehicles connected to crimes.

Flock Safety’s license plate reader system has drawn national criticism from civil liberties groups, particularly the American Civil Liberties Union, which argues the technology enables a form of mass surveillance that extends beyond its original purpose.

Boling said there is no “backdoor access” to the system, including for federal agencies such as ICE, and that any data sharing must be approved by the department.

The Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative (SWMJC) will host “Women in Media: Behind the Headlines” on April 16 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Epic Center in downtown Kalamazoo.

The free event, which is open to the public, will feature a panel of local women working in journalism and media. Space is limited, and RSVPs are recommended.

More than 350 people gathered at the corner of U.S. 131 and Michigan Avenue on Saturday, March 28, from 3 to 4 p.m. Supportive drivers honked as they passed, while others shouted at demonstrators from their vehicles. At least two trucks repeatedly drove past the crowd in the lane closest to the sidewalk, revving their engines and emitting diesel exhaust toward protesters.