De Pere Drops Flock Cameras
The short version: De Pere, Wisconsin pulled the plug on its Flock Safety cameras, and WFRV Local 5's report is a reminder that these contracts aren't permanent once communities start asking hard questions.
Our Take
WFRV Local 5 reports that De Pere is walking back its Flock Safety deployment — and however it happened, that's the headline that matters. Flock pitches these cameras as a quiet, no-brainer upgrade to local policing, but the sales pitch rarely includes an exit plan. When a city actually reverses course, it's worth paying attention to, because it proves these systems aren't inevitable infrastructure. They're a policy choice, and policy choices can be unmade.
We don't know the full story behind De Pere's decision from this clip alone — cost, effectiveness, public pushback, or all three could be in play — but the pattern is familiar. Towns sign on fast, often with little public debate, and then residents start noticing the price tag, the data-sharing fine print, or the simple fact that a private company is now logging every car that passes through town. That's when councils start reconsidering.
If your town has Flock cameras and you're wondering how they got there — or whether your city council even had a real conversation about it — check our camera map to see what's nearby, and use our take-action resources to push for the same kind of reversal De Pere just delivered. Credit to WFRV Local 5 for putting this story on the record.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of WFRV Local 5, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.