Cities and counties throughout the state have ended their ties with the Flock camera program over increased outcry about privacy issues, but Shawano doesn’t appear to be jumping on the bandwagon anytime soon.
Police Chief Mike Musolff told the Shawano Common Council during a presentation Oct. 14 that, with the right oversights and safeguards in place, the system can be a benefit to law enforcement and, by extension, the community. He acknowledged there has been abuse of the system by a select few police officers in the state, but those officers have been removed from the streets and shown the door, with many facing criminal charges as a result.
The presentation came at the request of Alderman Kevin Barkow, who wanted to find out more about the program in the midst of all the controversy around Wisconsin. A similar presentation had been done earlier in the year for the city’s field committee.
There are eight Flock cameras at various entry points to Shawano, but they do not run continuous video. The cameras’ automated license plate readers take photos of vehicles’ plates when they’re entering or exiting the city, according to Musolff.
The software greatly limits the access of Shawano police officers. Musolff said officers have to input a specific case number and a description to access any data. There are also time limits for officers to peruse data, and if they pass that limit, an alert is immediately sent to Lt. Heidi Cartwright, who oversees the city’s Flock cameras.
“ALPR is an investigative tool that helps our officers locate stolen vehicles, identify vehicles associated with wanted individuals and develop leads in criminal investigations,” Musolff said. “The cameras capture license plates, vehicle images and visible characteristics as vehicles pass certain locations. The system does not use facial recognition, and it does not continuously track individuals throughout our community.”
Musolff acknowledged that privacy concerns should be taken into account, but the police department has a written policy outlining what is in place to provide safeguards to prevent incidents. Data is only stored for 30 days and then deleted from the system, although Shawano is working to get that retention limited to seven days.
“Access is limited to authorized personnel,” Musolff said. “Searches must have a legitimate law enforcement purpose, and system activity is logged and subject to review.”
The safeguards, in Musolff’s view, will help prevent what happened earlier this year in Milwaukee, where a police officer was criminally charged after using the Flock cameras to keep track of someone he was in a relationship with and that person’s ex-partner. According to Wisconsin Public Radio, Milwaukee has made changes limiting who can access the system.
“This is a big deal for officers to make sure they do not misuse the system,” Musolff said. “Our goal is to use this technology responsibly, protect the information it collects and maintain accountability for how it is used.”
The cameras have done some good, and Musolff cited examples in a written handout to the council. A 91-year-old man was missing, and a Silver Alert was issued in the Port Washington area. Twenty minutes after the alert, a Flock camera caught the license plate, and a police officer was able to stop the vehicle and reunited the man with his worried family.
Locally, Flock cameras helped to catch someone in a high-speed chase the week before the council meeting that was initiated by Shawano County and went through Menominee County, with the driver traveling at an excessive rate of speed even through school zones.
“The male subject started this day of torture and went into another jurisdiction and ended up stealing a car,” Musolff said.
“I think it was three cars total (he stole) and ended up being put in custody in Lincoln County, because they caught him on a Flock camera in the stolen car.”
Musolff also cited an open case where somebody suspected of sexually assaulting a child where cameras showed the suspect leaving Shawano and last being seen in Wausau.
“After that, he disappeared,” Musolff said. “A lot of these departments that are getting rid of them because of public outcry do not realize the ramifications that are coming because of that. That’s one thing that’s causing issues for us in this investigation, and that makes me pretty sad and angry.”
Musolff made it clear he would not accept any demand that Shawano’s Flock cameras be removed or covered up. He criticized opponents, believing many of them have not done the research about them or their capabilities.
“It’s really hard for me to sit and watch all the people that are saying we need to get rid of these cameras,” he said. “I’m going to say this, and I know it’s going to upset some people, but if you’re against the Flock cameras without getting to know what they’re for, I have a hard time with that. I would much rather look at somebody that thinks we’re tracking them when they’re not and tell them I’m keeping the cameras than looking at a mother who just had her child kidnapped and tell them we got rid of our cameras because there was public outcry.”
In September, Oconomowoc, Waukesha and Racine’s city councils voted to end Flock camera use. Stevens Point and Sheboygan have also recently ended their partnership with Flock. Northeast Wisconsin communities that have shied away this year include Appleton, Kaukauna, Menasha, Neenah, Oshkosh and Sturgeon Bay, and Waupaca County has suspended its use of Flock recently.
After Musolff’s presentation, Barkow indicated he would not be in favor of Shawano following suit. He noted that Green Bay and Clintonville’s police departments favor keeping the cameras.
“It’s not like the PD is continuously watching,” Barkow said. “I am most definitely in favor of keeping the Flock cameras in the city of Shawano.”
Others on the council asked questions but did not express opposition to the cameras.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
Traffic is brisk Oct. 15 on the bridge over the Wolf River channel, where Airport Drive becomes Airport Road, and a Flock camera catches pictures of all the vehicles going in and out of Shawano. (Lee Pulaski | NEW Media)
Flock cameras are becoming an issue of contention all around the state, but Shawano Police Chief Mike Musolff wants to keep them, saying they’re a valuable investigative tool and that, with proper safeguards, will not be misused by local law enforcement. (Lee Pulaski | NEW Media)
