'Who has access to that data?': Flock cameras and the debate over their use explained
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A little less than a month ago, we told you about a Milwaukee police officer accused of abusing the badge.
The officer was arrested for using Flock cameras for personal reasons. Flock cameras are a tool for law enforcement to solve crimes, but what are these cameras and how easy is it for officers to abuse the data they're collecting?
Since 2022, small black cameras have popped up on streets around Milwaukee.
"What they can do is they're automatic license plate readers," said Paul Lough, Criminal Investigation Bureau inspector. "We are using these cameras exclusively, after a crime occurs, to investigate a crime."
They blend into the background but track your car's every move.
"Not only does it ping your car every time you drive by them, they store that data, basically collecting mass information on the movement of people inside of the area," said Jon McCray Jones, policy analyst, ACLU.
Flock Safety is the tech company behind the cameras that assist and share data with law enforcement, first responders and private businesses.
The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) says there are 31 of those cameras spread across town, costing city taxpayers more than $82,000.
It's something investigators tell us is worthwhile.
"We can use those cameras to actually pick up a photo of those cars, and we can pick it up as a BOLO (be on the lookout) to officers and the community and let them know we are on the lookout for this vehicle," Inspector Lough explained.
Jones says Flock is valuable because of the data it's collecting. That very data is what he says makes it so vulnerable to misuse.
"Flock connects thousands of law enforcement agencies to each other across the country and it connects state, local and federal agencies, agencies like ICE and DHS, to local data -- and we don't know who has access to that data," said Jones.
Officer Ayala
It's an issue we brought up with Inspector Lough on the morning of Feb. 24. He told us guardrails are in place.
"They are required to do monthly audits, so there's a built-in capability with Flock itself, and on top of that, we have our own permitters to ensure its not being misused," said Inspector Lough.
However, later that evening, MPD released a statement saying an officer had been criminally charged after improper use of Flock cameras.
The district attorney accused Milwaukee Police Officer Josue Ayala of attempted misconduct in public office in February.
Ayala allegedly used Flock cameras to run the license plates of someone he was in a relationship with and their ex nearly 200 times in the span of three months.
After the charges were made public, Police Chief Jeffrey Norman addressed the allegations.
"There is no guarantee that an officer would do something that is not in line with what we would expect or what you've been trained, but what there is a guarantee is that there will be response," said Chief Norman.
Ayala has since resigned from the force and pleaded not guilty.
Chief Norman says they have ramped up their internal audits and limited the number of officers allowed to access Flock to prevent further misuse.
"We do have audit systems in place, supervisor overview, ensure we are running the reports, but we are still looking over how we can do more," said Chief Norman.
Ayala will be back in court next month.
As for the camera's proper use, in the last five years, MPD tells us Flock has helped investigators solve a handful of deadly crimes, including catching four masked men from Chicago in 2024, wanted for murder.