'These issues continue to happen': Milwaukee mayor, police pledge policy changes to Flock camera use

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Mayor Cavalier Johnson and the Milwaukee Police Department announced commitments to change the city's use of Flock cameras Monday, Aug. 31, following what Mayor Johnson's office described as instances of the technology being misused locally and nationally.

Recent mistakes and misconduct have thrown a spotlight on privacy and safety issues.

The changes focus on three key areas: narrow down when flock technology is used, limit who has access to the data, and be more transparent about the program and how it's used.

Despite the challenges, the mayor insisted the technology is helping keep Milwaukee safer.

Johnson told us, "We've been monitoring this, watching this, the whole way. But these issues continue to happen."

On Monday, Johnson announced he worked alongside MPD and the executive director of the Fire and Police Commission to discuss "significant policy adjustments" that he is insisting upon.

He said, "You don't just throw the baby out with the bathwater and not allow the use of technology. But you also work to make sure there are some restrictions."

Among the changes he's calling for:

• Further restrict Flock data access to supervisors only, with no officers or detectives permitted access;
• Limit camera use to Part I crimes, critical missing persons, drug trafficking investigations and abductions;
• Create a public dashboard on the department's use of the technology;
• Further restrict access to Milwaukee's Flock data to MPD only, ending data sharing with other jurisdictions;
• Conduct semiannual independent audits through the Fire and Police Commission, with results shared with his office and the public;
• Continue ongoing monitoring from his office

It comes after both mistakes and misconduct.

Recently, a Milwaukee woman was mistakenly arrested twice after her car was not removed from the Flock alert system.

And after several officers were accused of misusing the cameras, Alder Bob Bauman's flipped against them. He said whereas he was once "50-50" on the camera technology, he is now "80-20" against.

Bauman told us, "Council never voted on this contract. We never signed up for Flock. That was done by MPD on their own."

Bauman was one of 12 alders to sign their own letter detailing concerns with Flock cameras. 

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He said some alders are now exploring whether they can legally force MPD to end the contract.

"This statement by the mayor today," Bauman said, "is an effort to head us off at the pass."

Bauman added, "They saw 12 signatures on that letter, it only takes 10 to change MPD policy under the new state law. And so they figured, we better correct these problems ourselves before the council does it for us."

In a separate Monday statement, MPD acknowledged that "some in our community do not support the use of Flock" and said past harm caused by former department members has damaged public trust.

The department said it is working with city leadership to create guardrails confirming access to Flock being restricted to supervisors, no longer sharing Flock data with other jurisdictions and limiting Flock use to Part I crimes.

Part I crimes, as defined in both statements, include homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, arson and human trafficking.

Both MPD and the mayor say Flock cameras and other technology are among the tools helping lower Milwaukee's crime rates.

Johnson said, "I believe the people in our neighborhoods… want the police to be able to have access to these tools, as well."

MPD has cited dozens of examples of how Flock technology has helped them, including in investigations of narcotics trafficking, homicides, sexual assaults, and child abductions.

And nine of the 11 crime metrics MPD tracks are down so far this year compared to last year, including a 23% drop in homicides, year-to-date.

Johnson told us, "I want to see us continue to move in that direction. And technology is, and will continue to be, an important tool."

The police union agrees with the changes, saying, "Reasonable safeguards and accountability can coexist with giving police officers the technology they need to do their jobs effectively."

Mayor Johnson said these changes will be in effect "pretty soon."