City of Milwaukee
[via a Monday press release from Mayor Cavalier Johnson]
1. Access to Flock camera systems data was limited earlier this year. At my direction, MPD has agreed to further restrict access to this data. Only supervisors will be allowed to access Flock camera systems. No officers or detectives will be allowed access to these systems at this time.
2. The use of Flock cameras will be limited to Part I crimes, critical missing persons, drug trafficking organization investigations and abductions only. Part I crimes only include homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assaults (to include non-fatal shootings), burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, arson and human trafficking.
3. At my direction, MPD has agreed to create a publicly available dashboard providing the community information about the Department’s use of Flock camera technology.
4. MPD has agreed to further limit access to Flock cameras by restricting access to Milwaukee’s cameras only to MPD. This means that MPD Flock data will be strictly limited to MPD so that auditing and oversight is fully within its control.
5. In its oversight role, the Fire and Police Commission (FPC) has already initiated an audit of the Flock camera system and its use in the city. At my direction, the FPC Executive Director has agreed that semiannual independent audits of MPD’s Flock camera use will be conducted. I have requested that these results be shared directly with my office as an additional review of Flock camera use as well as provide public access to the findings.
6. My office will continuously monitor the use of Flock cameras on a regular basis.
Milwaukee County
[via a Tuesday press release from County Executive David Crowley]
1. Limitations on Use of Flock Cameras. The usage of Flock cameras on County property shall be limited in accordance with binding standards to be developed with enforceable consequences for misuse. These standards include restrictions on:
a. Permissible Data Uses
b. Authorized Personnel
c. Data Retention
d. Data Access and Sharing
2. Evaluation of Current Usage Policy. The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), as an independently elected constitutional office, has worked in collaboration with the Information Management Services Division (IMSD), as directed by the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, to develop a comprehensive policy framework governing the use of facial recognition technologies to ensure such use does not encroach upon individuals’ civil rights and liberties. The County Executive requests that IMSD reviews MCSO’s proposed standards against this established framework to confirm that MCSO’s usage of any surveillance technology, including Flock cameras, is appropriate and consistent with the standards developed under Section 1.
3. Community Engagement and Transparency. Milwaukee County shall implement a publicfacing portal to provide residents with information regarding the deployment and use of Flock camera systems.
4. Call to Municipalities. The County Executive commends the City of Milwaukee for its decision to limit the use of Flock camera systems and calls on municipal leaders throughout Milwaukee County to reevaluate their own use of this technology.
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