Flock license plate reader contract and mass surveillance
Summary
Dozens of residents demanded the city cancel its Flock ALPR contract rather than accept the mayor's new restrictions. Speakers cited officer misuse for stalking, a wrongful gunpoint stop caused by a stale database alert, no-bid contract renewals bypassing council approval, and data-sharing risks with federal agencies. The commission took no vote but heard nearly two hours of testimony.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 34
- Last 30 days
- 4
Last discussed Sep 3, 2026.
Impact analysis
Taxpayer money funds the Flock contract through no-bid renewals, plus potential liability costs from misuse-related lawsuits.
Opponents say ending surveillance protects everyone's privacy; supporters of the tech say crime victims benefit from faster investigations.
Residents whose movements are tracked without warrants — particularly immigrants, protesters, domestic violence survivors, Muslims, and communities of color, per testimony.
Mentions & discussions (3)
FIRE AND POLICE COMMISSION — September 3, 2026
Dozens of residents demanded the city cancel its Flock ALPR contract rather than accept the mayor's new restrictions. Speakers cited officer misuse for stalking, a wrongful gunpoint stop caused by a stale database alert, no-bid contract renewals bypassing council approval, and data-sharing risks with federal agencies. The commission took no vote but heard nearly two hours of testimony.
FIRE AND POLICE COMMISSION — July 16, 2026
The ACLU and other speakers warned that Flock license plate readers have been misused locally and nationally, and questioned MPD's Fuse/Axon integration of 1,225 private cameras with no governing SOP or audit trail. MPD's Flock contract runs through January 2027.
FIRE AND POLICE COMMISSION — May 7, 2026
Fourteen residents urged the city to drop its 31 Flock cameras, citing privacy risks, data sharing with federal agencies, misuse by an officer, and neighboring cities cancelling contracts. MPD defended the tool as key to solving street takeovers and a carjacking and presented new monthly audits and tighter access controls. The commission noted the contract itself sits with the Common Council, not the FPC.
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