County 'Flock' license‑plate camera trial prompts Isanti council debate on privacy and transparency

Council members and residents raised privacy, oversight and transparency concerns after learning that the county installed automated license‑plate reader (LPR) cameras (commonly known by the vendor name “Flock”) at several county entry points for a trial period.

Multiple council members said the county had not given clear public notice prior to deployment. Some residents and council members described technical and security concerns they had read about (cloud storage vulnerabilities, potential for misuse) and asked whether the city should consider an alternative approach—such as a voluntary program that maps private‑camera owners willing to share footage with police when requested—rather than supporting broad automated plate capture.

Police and staff clarified the city itself had not contracted for any LPR system and that staff would not enter such a contract without council approval. Staff also said the city would use third‑party LPR data if law enforcement obtained it through authorized channels during an active investigation (for example, an abducted person or an ongoing criminal investigation). Several council members asked for a public forum and more information; staff recommended additional briefings and publicly posted materials so residents can weigh privacy tradeoffs before any municipal acquisition is considered.

No council decision to adopt or prohibit LPR technology at the city level was made; the meeting concluded with direction to continue public engagement and request county transparency on the trial.