4 p.m. News on Demand - Kaukauna ends Flock Safety contract
The short version: Kaukauna, Wisconsin pulled the plug on its Flock Safety ALPR contract, proof that local pushback can actually roll back surveillance once it's installed.
Our Take
Credit to Midwest Communications' 4 p.m. News on Demand for flagging this one: Kaukauna didn't just debate Flock Safety, it walked away from the contract. That's rarer than it should be. Most towns sign up for license plate readers with vague promises about catching stolen cars and never revisit the decision once the cameras go up and the bills start arriving.
This matters because the usual pattern with ALPR vendors is quiet, permanent expansion — more cameras, more data sharing agreements, more departments plugged into the same network, with almost no public reckoning. A city council actually reversing course shows that these contracts aren't as locked-in as Flock and its sales reps like to suggest. It only happens when residents ask hard questions about cost, effectiveness, and who gets access to the location data being vacuumed up on every driver who passes through town.
If you want to know whether your own community is running these cameras, check our map, and if you'd rather push for a Kaukauna-style exit than wait for one, our take-action page has the tools to start that fight locally.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Midwest Communications, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.