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Residents press Middleton Council to revisit Flock camera contract; police defend investigative use
Summary
Four residents warned the Middleton Common Council that the city’s Flock Safety camera contract creates privacy and data‑sharing risks; Police Chief Thompson said the department uses the system only for investigations and said the city does not share data with federal agencies, while councilmembers asked staff and legal counsel to review contract language.
Several Middleton residents urged the Common Council on Feb. 17 to reconsider the city’s use of Flock Safety license‑plate camera technology, saying the vendor’s contract and the system’s searchable database pose risks to residents’ privacy and could enable misuse by outside agencies.
“Flock Safety does not merely record traffic violations. They engage in mass fingerprinting,” Dan Barker told the council during public comment, arguing the agreement allows a private company to catalog vehicle characteristics and build a searchable community database. Garrett Avatista and Robert Eert described cases elsewhere where the system had been used to track individuals and cited reported breaches and instances of misuse, and Megan Waltz Peebles urged the city to publish clear data‑access and sharing policies.
Police Chief Thompson and Captain Jeremy Gistler answered council questions in an extended discussion. Thompson said the department procured the technology through a shared technology consortium in 2023 and uses it primarily as an investigative tool to help solve violent crimes, hit‑and‑runs and stolen‑vehicle cases. He pointed to public‑safety benefits, including pre‑alerts and rapid identification of vehicles connected to violent incidents.
On the specific point of federal access, Chief Thompson stated, “we do not share to the federal government. We do not share to ICE,” and said the department has worked with Flock representatives to test and clarify security and access controls. He also noted an independent Wisconsin intelligence committee reviewed Flock and classified it as a low‑risk investigative tool.
Council members did not take an immediate vote on Flock. Instead they pressed staff and the city attorney to review details of the master service agreement, including sections residents flagged about licensing, anonymized‑data use and disclosure of footage, and asked the consortium to weigh in. Several alderpersons emphasized they trust Middleton’s officers but remain concerned about contract language and the potential for future unauthorized access.
What happens next: Councilmembers requested a deeper contract review and further public conversation; several said they expect to receive tighter recommended contract language and policy options from staff and legal counsel before any change is proposed.
