Milwaukee County Parks committee unanimously passes amended resolution banning Flock cameras from parks
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Soon, there may be no more license plate readers in Milwaukee County parks.
On Tuesday, Sept. 29, the Milwaukee County Parks and Culture Committee unanimously voted to pass an amended resolution that would remove the 42 Flock cameras that are currently in Milwaukee County Parks by the end of this year.
The resolution was sponsored by District 16 Supervisor Justin Bielinski, who noted there are dozens of communities in Wisconsin who have decided to end their contracts with Flock.
Committee members approved the resolution but decided to amend to keep open a possible future path for cameras that don’t have automated license plate reader technology.
“I think eliminating them all together is a huge mistake. I think putting safeguards on them and controlling who has access, we should never sell data, never sell data,” said District 17 Supervisor Steve Taylor.
Officials with the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said that the technology has helped solve multiple crimes.
“This technology, video technology, allows us to be, quite frankly, in multiple places at one time. It’s not about actively tracking or actively monitoring someone but when a crime does occur, we want to have the best chance and best outcome of being able to solve that crime,” said MCSO Chief Deputy Brian Barkow.
However other local leaders said they’ve had questions about Flock’s technology and the data used beyond traditional criminal investigations.
They also cited Flock misuse by law enforcement members both in Wisconsin and nationwide.
“Removing this technology without approving alternatives doesn’t eliminate the public safety challenges occurring in and around our parks, it removes one of the tools available to address them,” Barkow said.
The amended resolution is now expected to go before the full Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors on Thursday.
