Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Automated License Plate Readers topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Middleton council directs end to Flock contract with up-to-six-month transition to find replacement
Summary
After extensive public comment and council debate about data sharing and vendor trust, Middleton's Common Council voted to terminate its contract with Flock and gave staff up to six months to identify an alternative automated license-plate reader technology, with 30 days' notice after a replacement is selected.
The Middleton Common Council voted June 16 to terminate the city's contract with Flock, the company that operates fixed automated license-plate reader (ALPR) cameras, and directed staff to identify a replacement system with up to six months of lead time. The termination would take effect 30 days after the city secures an alternative technology.
The decision followed more than two hours of public comment and council discussion in which residents and elected officials aired sharply divided views about privacy, public safety and the company's handling of law-enforcement data. "We are the product that they are selling," Beth Tucker Long, an alder from Verona who described her city's experience with Flock, told the council during public comment, citing what she said were thousands of external searches of local data.
Council members stressing privacy and vendor accountability pressed for a contract exit. "I trust our police," Alder Myers said during debate, "but unfortunately for all of us, not every police department lives up to your standards — and the company that we're in business with right now is somewhere near the bottom." Myers and other alderpersons said the council had not previously approved the terms of the agreement and raised concerns about clauses that could permit the vendor to use customer data to support proprietary products.
Police leaders described the operational benefits of the fixed ALPR network while saying they have taken steps to tighten city control over data. "We collect the data. Yes," Chief Steve Thompson said when asked whether the department collects reads. The chief and police leadership told the council that the department's mobile ALPRs (in squad cars) operate on separate systems and that fixed Flock cameras provide pre-alerts and investigative leads that have helped solve hit-and-run incidents, a Silver Alert, and other recent cases. Captain Lathrop described several local examples in which fixed-camera reads contributed to arrests and case resolution.
Supporters of continued use emphasized public-safety outcomes. "This is a very valuable investigative tool," Brad Kyle, a former Middleton police chief who spoke at the meeting, said in support of continued ALPR use. Several residents, including Gabrielle Berry, a parent and teacher who said she had participated in the department's Citizens Academy, also urged the council to retain the technology while negotiating stronger protections.
Opponents cited national news reports and cases alleging misuse of Flock data by outside actors and law enforcement in other jurisdictions. Speakers described municipalities that voted to cancel Flock contracts and reported difficulty having cameras removed. "I do not trust this company to abide by any attempted data control measures," Garret Bautista said during public comment.
Council members debated options that ranged from immediate termination to a phased exit tied to procurement of alternative systems and a request-for-proposals process. The council approved an amended motion directing staff and the city attorney to terminate the Flock contract with up to six months' lead time to identify a replacement technology and to return a formal resolution at the next meeting. The amendment passed 7–1; the main motion as amended passed on the ensuing voice vote.
The council's direction includes staff outreach to peer jurisdictions and consideration of a transition period to avoid an abrupt loss of investigatory capability. Administrators noted two of Middleton's three fixed cameras are off contract and the third has roughly 11 months remaining on its agreement; staff said they have taken steps (including moving contract administration to the police department for review) while negotiating new terms and planning next steps.
Next procedural steps: the council directed the city attorney to prepare termination paperwork and asked staff to issue an investigative request for replacement options in consultation with Dane County and neighboring communities. The council said it would consider a formal resolution confirming the termination timeline at the next meeting.
