Perfect World
← Transcript library

Surveillance cameras spark privacy concerns: Police and Flock respond

NBC 262.4K viewsJan 8, 20263:23533 words
▶ Watch on YouTube⬇ Download transcript (.txt)

Summary

A neutral AI summary of this video is queued and will appear here.

Full transcript

Oshkosh where the warm weather is threatening some winter activities. But first flock cameras or license plate recognition. Cameras are popping up in more places along the lakeshore and a lot of people are asking why. This flock camera among others were installed by least months ago. I'm your Lakeshore neighborhood reporter Abbi, him, a check finding out exactly what they're used for. Flock cameras like these sort of beach into rivers are used to collect license plate data and provide police with by video I would say in today's day in age knowing we have this technology available. And if we chose not to use it. I would almost be negligent injury rates as since they were installed last year. The cameras have helped in 7 arrests. Organizations like the ACLU have called for a ban citing privacy and civil rights violations calling the mass surveillance network, people into rivers. I saw have raised concerns on social media as well. Community members who may be concerned about privacy of someone watching it are just collecting data. How would you weigh reassured that? You know, we understand concerns in the community about privacy things of that nature. However, everything that is being recorded and used by flock, for instance, us all within the public sector. So whether we go door-to-door and collect footage, ring cameras and businesses, whether we have our own system deflation quicker to solve crimes, it's really the same And it also now has the cameras adding 11 last summer? Yes, a leaflet technology helped recover more than 1000 people across the country. It more than 10% of all reported crime in the United States pairs. Louisville of Flock says when it comes to data being shared and stored, it stays within the agencies using flock customers, those agencies on 100% of the data that's collected from their cameras. So they choose who to share with if they want to share it with at all whom they share that specific license plate reader data with by full all the video a license plate reads are deleted after 30 days. 2 rivers, police say they hope to install more in the future, especially to help out with large events when police can see everything that's going on into Rivers. Abby, him check NBC. 26. Taking a deeper look into automatic license plate readers or flock cameras. There isn't a single precise number for all flock cameras in Wisconsin. But recent reports from 2025 and really 26 indicate over 200 law enforcement agencies use them. Our research found if you were to drive from Sturgeon Bay to Fond du Lac, your license plate could be recorded by police departments in Sturgeon Bay Green Bay to peer Kaukauna, Appleton, Neenah. Menasha Oshkosh and Fond du Lac. Several cities like Evanston, Illinois in Flagstaff, Arizona, have canceled or halted contracts, reflect cameras due to privacy concerns. They found residents fear mass surveillance to being sold or misused issues. Also rose from flock data sharing with federal users like ice without clear local consent. Also court rulings in places like Washington state determined flock images are public records. Leading some cities to shut down s