A Flock camera in Oshkosh. March 31, 2026. PC: Fox 11 Online
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Fond du Lac and Winnebago Counties say they are immediately discontinuing their use of Flock cameras after it was discovered data tied to active investigations was released to the public.
According to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department, search data from its Flock systems was disclosed to the public by law enforcement agencies in other states in response to open records requests.
Public record laws vary in different states.
As under Wisconsin state statutes, records pertaining to active investigations are exempt from public disclosure.
Because Flock’s search logs are shared across a nationwide network of participating agencies, data captured in Fond du Lac County was subject to other state agencies’ records decisions, and those decisions were made without the department’s knowledge or consent.
Fond du Lac County wrote:
The loss of control over our own investigative data, combined with concerns over how quickly Flock’s technology has expanded beyond traditional plate-reading systems, has led Fond du Lac County law enforcement agencies to conclude that continuing the program at this time is not appropriate.
Protecting our communities remains our collective mission, and we will continue to use every appropriate tool available to do that. However, maintaining the public’s trust is a critical part of that mission. That is why, when a tool no longer meets the standard our community deserves, we will say so and act on it.
Winnebago County wrote:
In light of this recently discovered information, the Sheriff’s Office is conducting an internal review of any investigations that may have been affected. We are also evaluating internal security measures to ensure continuity of operations without compromising the privacy of Winnebago County motorists.
Covers are being installed over the lens of every Flock camera in Fond du Lac County Friday to prevent further image capture.
Winnebago County says it’s partnering agencies will also suspend the use of Flock:
- Neenah Police Department
- Menasha Police Department
- Fox Crossing Police Department
- Winneconne Police Department
- UW Oshkosh Police Department
The Omro Police Department has never had a contract with Flock Safety and the Oshkosh Police Department cancelled their contract with Flock earlier this year.
Unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information about victims, survivors, witnesses, juveniles, confidential sources, and suspects through open records requests can compromise an investigation, put the public at risk, expose victims to further harm, or interfere with our ability to hold offenders accountable, the sheriff’s office says.
Fond du Lac County also wrote:
Since implementing Flock systems in our communities, we instituted county-wide protocols, including training all users, requiring documented justification before every search, and conducting regular audits with both automated and administrator-led reviews. These protocols were designed to ensure the system was used legally and only for legitimate law enforcement purposes.
The technology itself has helped us apprehend dangerous criminals including homicide and shooting suspects, child sex-trafficking suspects, drug traffickers, and stalkers. It has also helped locate missing, suicidal, and endangered people, including trafficking victims. We’ve heard directly from residents grateful for those outcomes, and we’ve heard from others with real concerns about privacy and oversight. Both perspectives are valid, and both factored into this decision. Individual privacy rights must be protected as this technology continues to evolve.
Fond du Lac County officials say they will reconsider the use of Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology again if there are clear safeguards and measures in place to oversee how shared data is used, stored, accessed, and disclosed by other jurisdictions, and uphold the agencies’ values.
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