Milwaukee police chief says Flock camera policy changes are a ‘compromise’ as city and county leaders call for adjustments to current use
CBS 58 MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – Flock cameras are taking center stage in Milwaukee this week as city and county leaders address their use.
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. You can read more about Monday’s developments here.
“We’re going to have this tool available through leadership and be sure that we hold our own people accountable by doing that,” said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman on Tuesday.
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. Norman said these changes will impact officer’s current workflow and would be put in place immediately.
“Does this make things a little bit more time consuming in regard to different steps frontline men and women are able to do? Yes,” Norman said. “But I will say it’s better to have a compromise and still be able to use it, which we feel that the LPR technology is still helpful too.”
ACLU of Wisconsin welcomed the reform on Flock cameras but stressed that the changes are only part of the solution.
“These changes are a testament to the tireless advocacy work of so many Milwaukee residents who have, for over a year, been coming together, attending public meetings, and demanding action to stop the relentless cycle of Flock abuse,” said Amanda, Merkwae, the policy director at ACLU of Wisconsin. “But we cannot stop here. While this is a step in the right direction, Flock is still an incredibly invasive technology that has the power to indiscriminately surveil our communities on a mass scale. Its use should require a warrant based on probable cause. “
On Tuesday, Norman expressed his confusion with the ACLU’s warrant suggestion with Flock camera use.
“I’m still a little bit confused how a warrant would address a real-time situation, the vehicle’s movement, learning in regard to that this is all a public space. We cannot hide our license plates as we drive on the roads here,” Norman said.
On Tuesday, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley issued a directive to limit the use of Flock cameras on county property, calling for new standards governing surveillance technology. As Crowley campaigns for governor, our team asked Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany for his stance on the cameras. You can read about their stances here.
