Flock Safety cameras; Wisconsin cities vote to end use

RACINE, Wis. - Three southeast Wisconsin cities voted Tuesday night to end Flock camera use.

Oconomowoc Flock vote

What happened:

The Oconomowoc Common Council passed a resolution to cancel the city's Flock Safety contract with a 5-2 vote on Tuesday night, Sept. 15.

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The city still has a year left on the contract, a cost of about $18,000 that is already budgeted for. Mayor Matt Rosek said the city will likely bag the cameras on Wednesday.

The Oconomowoc Area School District has its own cameras, and the superintendent previously said the district would align with the city.

Waukesha Flock vote

What happened:

The Waukesha Common Council voted not to appropriate funds for the Flock Safety program beyond 2026. 

Racine Flock vote

What happened:

Racine will get rid of its Flock cameras, too, after Mayor Cory Mason's vote broke a Common Council tie on a motion Tuesday night. 

This is a breaking news update. Read more prior coverage below.

Flock contract discussions

Big picture view:

The debate over Flock cameras isn't just playing out here in Wisconsin. Cities across the country are reconsidering how – and whether – they use this technology.

Oconomowoc weighs Flock

Local perspective:

Oconomowoc's contract runs through 2027. The city has six cameras, not including the cameras purchased by the school district.

What they're saying:

Before the meeting, FOX6 News spoke with Oconomowoc Ald. Lou Kowieski, who said he sees benefits to the license plate reader technology, but he also has concerns about privacy. Kowieski said his concern isn't necessarily how officers could potentially misuse the system, but it's the amount of data being collected in the first place.

"I think the Flock camera system has potential benefit, and has provided benefit, but I believe it is a violation of our Fourth Amendment right and what that system can do. And I have other concerns on how that data is being handled," Kowieski said.

Common Council members also expressed concern about privacy stemming from data collection and the potential for misuse by officers.

"If Flock continues, I want layers. I want to be make it hard that if they’re going to use it, has to be some provision for them to be able to get to it," Oconomowoc Ald. Kevin Ellis said before Tuesday's vote.

Racine weighs Flock

Local perspective:

In Racine, the county sheriff's office has already parted ways with Flock. But the city's Personnel and Finance Committee voted last week against ending the city's contract. On Tuesday, the full Common Council voted on whether to terminate or renegotiate that contract – which is currently funded through the end of the year.

What they're saying:

"We have had incidents on the city level with the misuse by police officers, at least one in particular that’s still under investigation. We have also seen that across the state, what we have also seen is that Flock has a way of saying one thing," Racine Ald. Nathan Pabon said before the vote.

Editor's note: This story was updated with new information.

Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Bria Jones, Stephanie Quirk and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.

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