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Oshkosh council renews Flock ALPR contract for one year after hours of public testimony and security debate
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Summary
After more than three hours of public comment and extensive council questioning, the Oshkosh Common Council voted to renew the police department's automated license-plate-reader contract with Flock (Block) for one year, adding direction for further review and potential policy work.
After more than three hours of public testimony and hours of council questions, the Oshkosh Common Council on April 21 approved a one-year renewal of the Oshkosh Police Department's automated license-plate-reader (ALPR) contract with Flock (also discussed in the record as Block), amending a proposed two-year renewal.
The meeting drew a large public turnout: residents, privacy advocates and veterans urged the council to reject or delay renewal, citing cybersecurity vulnerabilities, documented account compromises in other jurisdictions and the risk of warrantless location tracking. Opponents asked for an independent cybersecurity audit, stronger contractual limits on downstream sharing and a community-led commission to set surveillance standards. Several speakers said the city's transparency portal and vendor agreements leave too many unknowns about who can access data downstream.
Supporters, including current and former law enforcement personnel and several residents, told the council ALPRs have aided investigations and public safety operations, pointing to examples where license-plate matches contributed to apprehensions. Those speakers said the system is limited to vehicle data, does not use facial recognition and can be governed by local policy.
City manager (recorded as the city manager) and police leadership answered council questions about controls, retention and audits. The record shows the city's administrators and OPD asserting that the city owns its data, that sharing settings can be limited, and that multifactor authentication (MFA) and other protections are available. A Flock representative online, introduced in the meeting as Chris Castaldo, Flock's chief information security officer, said the company requires MFA on its platform, has conducted penetration testing and that customers retain control over sharing and retention settings. He said Flock had engaged third-party security firms and that reports would be made available to the city.
Multiple council members said they were persuaded by both the public's concerns and OPD's public-safety arguments. Several asked staff to negotiate firmer contract language and to pursue public engagement and oversight options before any longer-term renewal. The council first voted 6-1 to amend the renewal from two years to a one-year agreement to allow time for further review and community work. After additional discussion the council approved the resolution as amended (final recorded roll call reflected the motion carried; the clerk recorded the vote at the meeting). The one-year renewal means the contract will return to the council for further consideration after the city manager and staff take up the additional directed review and oversight work.
What the council asked for next: several members asked the city manager to convene follow-up work, which could include a community commission or a directed audit, and to report back to the council at a future meeting. The mayor and several council members emphasized they expect clearer transparency about downstream sharing, auditability of searches and stronger contractual cybersecurity and access controls.
The action follows a public process that began after Oshkosh originally adopted ALPRs in 2023. Opponents in Oshkosh cited national reporting and congressional inquiries into Flock Safety's security practices; proponents pointed to local investigative uses and the department's stated policies. The council's one-year renewal sets a deadline for city staff to pursue the additional review and for the council to revisit the contract.
Meeting outcome: the council approved the one-year renewal as amended; amendments and directions to city staff were recorded in the council's motion and discussion.
The next expected procedural step: the council asked the city manager to bring proposals for additional oversight, possible contract edits, and options for independent cybersecurity review to a future meeting during the one-year term.
