Privacy activists have been urging local governments to end their contracts with Flock Safety, which supplies police departments with automated license plate readers. When the city of Fitchburg voted in May to end its contract with Flock, those activists cheered.
But now Fitchburg city officials will test alternatives to Flock from two of its competitors, Axon and Motorola. Officials hope the cameras will provide police with important information without the privacy and security risks associated with Flock. But some privacy experts don’t see much of a difference. [News 3, 🔒 WSJ]
📹 What’s the Concern About Flock Cameras? Flock safety has about 120,000 cameras across the country, using artificial intelligence to record and store data such as license plate numbers, and car makes and models. Proponents say they help law enforcement find criminals more quickly.
But opponents say the cameras are unwanted government surveillance of its citizens. There have also been multiple cases of law enforcement officers abusing their access to Flock data, such as a Milwaukee police officer who allegedly used Flock cameras to track the person he was dating and her ex. [Axios, 🎧 City Cast Madison, WPR]
⛔ Shutting Off Flock Cameras: While Flock Safety made changes to its network aimed at cutting down on abuse and misuse, several local governments ended their Flock contracts in response to public backlash.
After Flock refused to remove its cameras after Dane County ended its contract in April, city officials covered them up. While the Madison Police Department does not use Flock cameras, and UW-Madison police ended their contract, there are still four cameras around the Capitol Square used by state police. [🔒WSJ, WMTV, Cap Times]
🚨 Fitchburg Tries Out Different Cameras: Fitchburg Police Capt. Andrew McCarthy said automated license plate readers have been “incredibly, incredibly useful for investigations,” saying there are dozens of examples where data from such cameras has led to a case being solved.
The department will try out cameras from Motorola and will also test a system from Axon. Unlike Flock, officials say Motorola and Axon do not have nationwide data searches available to anyone who has an account, such as immigration enforcement. [🔒 WSJ]
👎 Worse Than Flock? But privacy experts say Axon cameras still record all kinds of personal information without permission. And they say it may be even more invasive than Flock because Axon’s cameras are part of a larger data-gathering ecosystem that includes police body-worn cameras and drones.
Opponents of license plate readers say the answer is not switching companies, but putting restrictions on the collection and use of such data into law. Sixteen states currently have such statutes on their books – but not Wisconsin. [Jalopnik, National Conference of State Legislature]
