Oakland County's commission chair took a Flock-paid trip, then pushed its drone deal
Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chair Dave Woodward traveled to Flock Safety's Atlanta headquarters in fall 2025 with sheriff's office staff, and Flock paid for the visit, WXYZ's 7 Investigators reported in April 2026. Woodward co-sponsored the resolution approving a nine-month Flock police-drone pilot, which the board passed on April 8, 2026; continuing past the pilot would cost $2.5 million over two years, and the county has until Dec. 15, 2026, to opt out. WXYZ found no sign the trip was disclosed at the meeting, and several commissioners said they did not know about it. Woodward confirmed Flock paid only after repeated questions and said the trip helped him understand the technology. A recall drive fell short of the required signatures; he remains chair, and no ethics review has been reported.
Woodward finally confirmed to the 7 Investigators that Flock paid for the visit to Atlanta.
The Oakland County Board of Commissioners voted yes on a 9-month Flock drone program.
We're obviously disappointed not to meet our goal, but we're excited about the response we've gotten.
Said the trip was an effort to better understand the technology; called the recall a ridiculous stunt.
Not yet contacted for this story.
No outcome recorded yet.