County gets the Flock out

COUNTY – Law enforcement agencies across Waupaca County have jointly suspended the use of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology provided by Flock Safety, citing concerns over privacy and the potential disclosure of sensitive investigative data.

The decision was announced last week in a joint press release issued by the Waupaca County Law Enforcement Administrators Association, which represents the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Manawa, Waupaca, New London, Clintonville, Iola, Marion and Weyauwega.

Law enforcement leaders stated that while the technology has provided significant public safety benefits, participation in Flock’s nationwide network creates risks regarding how information is handled once it leaves local control.

According to the association, there have been instances where Flock search data held by police departments in other states has been disclosed through out-of-state public records requests.

Officials noted that such disclosures could inadvertently expose sensitive investigative details involving crime victims, survivors, witnesses, juveniles, confidential sources and missing or endangered individuals.

“That loss of control over sensitive law enforcement information is a concern we cannot ignore,” the association stated.

The association said that the countywide suspension is not the result of any officer misconduct, improper searches, or misuse within Waupaca County.

Law enforcement leaders said that the Flock system had previously proven valuable in identifying vehicles involved in pursuits, hit-and-run crashes, stolen property cases and missing persons investigations.

In a statement responding to the countywide suspension, a Flock Safety spokesperson defended the company’s technology and clarified how search data is handled across state lines.

“Flock is proud of the impact our technology has had on Waupaca County, as the law enforcement leaders noted in their letter,” a company spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said that online databases featuring Flock search data are not affiliated with the company and did not receive data directly from Flock. He said that information was obtained through public records requests filed with police departments in other states.

“Customers own and control their data and Flock does not sell it,” the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson also highlighted system updates Flock implemented last year after nearly 200 law enforcement leaders raised concerns that publicly released audit data was being used to identify undercover officers by name and publish their contact details alongside active investigation information.

In response to those law enforcement concerns, the spokesperson said Flock updated its “Network Audit log,” which tracks searches conducted by outside sharing agencies, so that it no longer includes officer names, specific plates searched, vehicle signatures, or open-text search reasons.

The log continues to display the searching agency, date, offense type, and a unique search identifier, while all omitted details remain preserved with the originating agency for authorized oversight, he said. The “Organization Audit,” which governs how a local department’s own officers use the system, remains fully detailed and unchanged, he said.

The county’s suspension of Flock directly impacts Manawa, which was slated to be the newest Waupaca County community to add the cameras after the Common Council unanimously voted to approve them in June. The cameras were set to be placed near the intersection of State Highway 22 and Pine Street and near the Manawa Masonic Center, with initial permitting underway.

The Manawa initiative was fully funded for its first year through $7,300 in private donations, with the Manawa Masonic Center and Treehouse Foods each contributing $650 for installation and $3,000 for the first year of service.

Manawa Police Chief Jason Severson had previously advocated for the cameras as a critical investigative tool, stating that the technology has built-in safeguards such as required case numbers for every search, automated AI search alerts, a 30-day data retention limit, and a public transparency portal.

Local police chiefs and the county sheriff had also met with Flock representatives earlier this year to secure broader network access for all county agencies.

The technology had faced pushback from local residents concerned about civil liberties and surveillance overreach. At a July Manawa City Council meeting, resident Carrie Thompson urged officials to consider the legal liabilities and privacy risks of implementing ALPR technology, pointing out that fewer than 1% of scanned vehicles are linked to crime.

The cameras have also been vandalized. According to sheriff’s reports, a Flock camera was found in the cattails in White Lake in July. Last month, another Flock camera near Symco was cut down.

County law enforcement agencies indicated they will monitor state legislative updates, court decisions and evolving data-sharing safeguards before reconsidering the technology.