Milwaukee alders demand answers on Flock cameras
Milwaukee alders demand answers on Flock cameras
There are new questions about the cameras watching you. One Wisconsin city covered them up, another demanded answers, and a U.S. senator launched a national investigation.
MILWAUKEE - There are new questions about the cameras watching you. One Wisconsin city covered them up, another demanded answers, and a U.S. senator launched a national investigation.
MPD Flock misuse
What we know:
Police officers have been charged for misuse of the Flock system. One former Milwaukee officer was convicted of spying on a romantic partner and that partner’s ex more than 179 times. Another in MPD is facing charges, and the Milwaukee Common Council said a third is being investigated. It’s not just a problem in Milwaukee. Last week, prosecutors charged a former Kenosha County deputy with using the Flock system to track a coworker for personal reasons.
Flock cameras scan and take photos of license plates going by, and police can search the database to pinpoint locations. Twelve of the 15 members of the Milwaukee Common Council demanded Milwaukee’s police chief and the Fire and Police Commission answer questions. They gave a September 30 deadline. They said they will use that information to decide about funding when they craft the city’s next budget this fall.
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Flock cameras in Milwaukee, city officials raise privacy concerns
In a formal letter to Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman and the Fire and Police Commission, Milwaukee Common Council members are sounding the alarm on local law enforcement’s use of Flock license plate readers.
Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic told FOX6 News possibilities include defunding or canceling the program. However, it is too early to say what is next, as she said she wants to hear from the Milwaukee Police Department first.
"I think the larger issue at hand is this mass surveillance effort. There are people being surveilled that we don't even know about. Every move we make, every step we take. And on top of that, there are allegations and some actual charges of misuse and abuse. So we need to have much stronger safeguards and potentially even move towards a cancellation," said Dimitrijevic.
FOX6 News asked if potentially pausing or canceling the Flock system in Milwaukee was something she was considering right now.
"It’s not where I’m starting, but it's definitely on the table," she responded. "I do want to have a public discussion of the true cost, the network, the data gathering, the abuse. I want to talk to the Fire and Police Commission and we need answers. Things have actually not gotten better, they've gotten worse."
"I'm very worried about the fact that most of these abuse allegations have been used in a domestic violence way to stalk women and former partners. You have to balance that with what is possibly a public good and the police department and the fire and police commission will have to make the case that there is much more valuable technology being used here than the negative consequences that we've seen," she added.
The letter also urged the department to adopt stricter guardrails, including a seven-day data retention limit, unless it is preserved for a documented investigation. The letter called for the department to use automatic misuse detection, as well as independent auditing.
"This is an urgent moment, and a problem that will not correct itself. As you know, the Common Council has the capacity to make procedural changes of its own accord, but these changes are always wiser and better informed when crafted with the assistance of those selected by the Mayor and confirmed by the Common Council to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners," the letter stated.
"We're seeing even more incidents of abuse. We now have the person doing the investigation facing charges in court. It's clear that the police cannot police themselves. We need external independent audits to make sure that we're watching the watchers," added Dimitrijevic.
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The Milwaukee Police Department told FOX6 News the department will respond after they have carefully reviewed the Common Council request. The Fire and Police Commission is auditing the city’s Flock program to randomly check if searches have been for valid police investigations.
Sheboygan police cover Flock cameras, seek contract termination
Flock cameras in Sheboygan are covered with trash bags – this time by the city's own police department. Now, they are asking the Sheboygan Common Council to end their contract with Flock.
In Sheboygan, the police department put bags over the city's 15 Flock cameras. That city’s police chief will ask the city’s Common Council to end the city’s contract with Flock. The chief said they used the cameras to solve several cases, recover stolen cars, and arrest violent offenders. However, the chief accused Flock of acting inconsistently with the contract’s terms.
FOX6 News asked Flock to respond. In the spring, the company told FOX6 News it partners with more than 200 agencies in the state, and the system helps solve crime. The company also stated officers misusing the system were held accountable.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Jason Calvi and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the Milwaukee Common Council, Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, the Milwaukee Police Department, the Fire and Police Commission, the Sheboygan Police Department and Flock.