Sheboygan Covers Flock Cameras, Seeks Contract Termination
All 15 Flock Safety license plate-reading cameras in Sheboygan have been covered and stopped from collecting vehicle data while city leaders seek to terminate Sheboygan’s contract with the surveillance technology company.
Sheboygan Police Chief Kurt Zempel and City Administrator Casey Bradley will ask the Sheboygan Common Council to end the agreement during its Sept. 8 meeting.
City employees began covering the cameras Tuesday, Aug. 25, after the Sheboygan Police Department concluded that actions by Flock Safety were inconsistent with the city’s contract and expectations.
The city has not publicly explained exactly what Flock Safety allegedly did.
Cameras No Longer Collecting License Plate Data
Covering the cameras prevents them from photographing vehicles and recording license plate information while the Common Council considers the proposed contract termination.
Sheboygan has operated 15 Flock cameras since early 2024, although the Police Department has used automated license plate reader technology for more than 10 years.
The cameras capture still images of passing vehicles and their license plates. The information can then be searched by law enforcement as part of criminal investigations.
According to the city, Flock camera data has helped Sheboygan police solve serious crimes, locate violent offenders and recover stolen vehicles and other property.
Despite those benefits, Zempel said the department no longer believes it can continue working with Flock Safety.
“We believe that the use of modern technology is an important part of our effectiveness in providing justice and safety for our community,” Zempel said in the city’s announcement. “But as with any system that involves access to powerful technology or sensitive information, strong internal controls and community trust are vital. That trust must extend to the partners who provide those services.”
City Has Not Disclosed What Flock Safety Did
The Police Department said it learned in July about actions by Flock Safety that appeared inconsistent with the city’s contract. Police subsequently confirmed the circumstances and decided to recommend ending the relationship.
However, neither the city’s announcement nor subsequent news coverage identified the specific actions involved.
That leaves Sheboygan residents without an answer to a central question: Did the dispute involve access to locally collected vehicle data, sharing that data with another agency, a failure to follow contractual restrictions or another concern?
Mayor Ryan Sorenson told TMJ4 that residents should not currently assume their information was improperly shared. He said the city is conducting its due diligence and wants to ensure information collected for public safety is not used for other purposes.
The Sept. 8 Common Council meeting may provide council members and the public with more information about what occurred, the contract’s termination provisions and what will happen to data previously collected by the cameras.
Flock Cameras Have Raised Privacy Concerns
Automated license plate readers differ from traffic-enforcement cameras. They generally do not issue speeding or red-light tickets. Instead, they record information about vehicles passing a fixed location so law enforcement can search for a vehicle connected to an investigation.
Supporters say the systems help police find stolen vehicles, locate missing people and identify suspects who travel through multiple jurisdictions.
Critics argue that the cameras record the movements of large numbers of people who are not suspected of committing a crime. They have also questioned how long information is retained, which agencies can search it and whether local governments maintain meaningful control once data becomes part of a larger network.
Those questions have received greater attention as communities around Wisconsin and the country reconsider their Flock Safety agreements. Sturgeon Bay declined to renew its contract earlier this year following public opposition, while Dane County officials covered cameras that remained in place after that county’s contract ended.
National scrutiny intensified after an investigation found that federal agencies had accessed license plate information originating in Illinois. Flock Safety subsequently paused pilot programs involving federal agencies and acknowledged shortcomings in how the programs and their safeguards had been communicated, according to Associated Press reporting.
Sheboygan officials have not said whether the city’s contract dispute is connected to those federal-access concerns.
Common Council Vote Set for Sept. 8
The cameras will remain covered while city staff and the Common Council work through the termination process.
Zempel said the department will continue evaluating other technologies that could help police investigate crimes and protect the public. According to the city, any replacement system brought forward for approval will receive additional review involving Sheboygan’s elected representatives.
That review is expected to address privacy, civil rights and transparency as well as the technology’s value to law enforcement.
“The Sheboygan Police Department constantly evaluates the effectiveness and reliability of its technology providers,” Zempel said. While Flock’s system has assisted officers, he said, “we believe that ending the relationship with Flock Safety is necessary at this time.”
The Common Council is scheduled to consider the request during its regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Residents can read the City of Sheboygan’s complete announcement or review the original WISN 12 report.
What information should city officials disclose before the Common Council votes? Sheboygan residents are invited to share their views on the cameras, public safety and personal privacy in the comments.
