Image Courtesy : wpr.org
A growing backlash against Flock Safety’s automated license plate reader cameras is creating an unusual sight across parts of Wisconsin: surveillance cameras covered with black trash bags.
The controversy has intensified after officials in several communities sought to end contracts with the company but faced delays in getting the privately owned cameras removed. In Dane County, officials covered 26 Flock cameras after the county’s contract expired and the devices remained in place. Verona officials also previously covered cameras after the city ended its agreement and the equipment was not promptly taken down.
The dispute comes as privacy concerns surrounding automated license plate readers continue to grow. Flock systems can record license plates and collect additional details about vehicles, including their make, model, color, stickers, and other identifying characteristics. That information can then be used in investigations and shared through broader law enforcement networks.
More recently, reports have also drawn attention to Flock cameras being placed in less obvious locations, including inside equipment that resembles digital speed signs. While the specific deployment shown in recent reports has not been confirmed as a standard practice across Flock installations, the discovery has added to public concerns about how easily surveillance technology can blend into everyday infrastructure.
The backlash has been fueled by questions over data access, privacy protections, and alleged misuse of license plate reader systems. Wisconsin communities including Dane County, Verona, and others have moved to end or reconsider their relationships with Flock as public scrutiny has increased.
For local officials, the situation has created a complicated standoff. Communities may no longer want the cameras operating, but because the equipment belongs to the private company, officials have sometimes been reluctant to remove the devices themselves. Covering the cameras has therefore become a temporary solution to prevent them from continuing to collect data while officials wait for the equipment to be removed.
The unusual images of trash bags covering surveillance cameras highlight a broader national debate over the growing presence of privately operated AI-powered monitoring systems in public spaces—and how much control communities should have over technology installed in their own neighborhoods.