Milwaukee Flock camera expansion proposed; opponents want answers
The Brief
Milwaukee police want to add more Flock cameras to a neighborhood on the city's south side.
Opponents of the Flock camera expansion are worried about who will be monitoring the cameras' use.
The proposal for expansion has been tabled for now.
MILWAUKEE - There is a clash in Milwaukee over police surveillance and an effort to expand a system of law enforcement cameras. Police say the sole purpose of the Flock cameras is to take a picture of a license plate. But those opposed to the expansion want to know, who is watching the police?
What we know
Privacy, security and surveillance were the themes of the Finance and Personnel Committee meeting on Thursday, May 29.
A proposed contract with Flock Group Inc. would add three more AI-powered license plate readers on Milwaukee's south side.
What they're saying
"Our stolen cars have gone down significantly on the south end of our corridor," said Tara Cavazos, Executive Director for the S. 27th Street Business Improvement District (BID).
The BID is requesting the additional cameras.
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"These flocks are not going to be placed in a neighborhood. It is not specific to vulnerable communities. They are in business districts on state and county highways," Cavazos said.
Dig deeper
Right now, there are more than 30 Flock cameras in the city of Milwaukee.
Previous FOX6 investigations have uncovered the camera system's rapid growth in Wisconsin and the rest of the country. But not everyone is on board.
What they're saying
"All this does is create another avenue for MPD, ICE and other agencies to endlessly track people they choose to target," said Ron Jansen of Milwaukee.
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"How does the surveillance technology work? What's the fiscal impact of the technology? What and whose information is being collected and how is data stored?" asked Amanda Merkwae of ACLU of Wisconsin.
Dig deeper
Across southeast Wisconsin, Flock cameras have assisted in several investigations like hit-and-run crashes.
Heather Hough, the Milwaukee Police Department Chief of Staff, told FOX6 News there are security requirements about who can access Flock cameras.
"These cameras aren't equipped to identify people. They are license plate readers," Hough said.
But a group of Milwaukee organizations is now asking for a bill that would require more public discussion and oversight.
The committee on Thursday voted to postpone the discussion to a later date.
The Source
The information in this post was produced by FOX6 News after sitting in on a Common Council committee hearing.
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