Dane County covers Flock Safety cameras amid privacy concerns
The short version: Dane County's Sheriff's Office reportedly covered its Flock ALPR cameras after public pushback, a small sign that privacy objections can force real action.
Our Take
WKOW 27 News is reporting that the Dane County Sheriff's Office physically covered its Flock Safety cameras after residents raised privacy concerns. We don't have the full details of what prompted this move or how long it will last, but the optics alone are telling: a law enforcement agency responding to public pressure by literally blacking out surveillance gear speaks volumes about how uneasy communities are becoming with always-on license plate tracking.
Covering a camera isn't the same as removing it, and it's worth asking what happens next — whether this is a genuine pause for policy review or just a temporary PR move until the attention fades. Flock's pitch is always convenience and crime-solving, but the quiet rollout of networked ALPRs across county roads rarely comes with the kind of public debate that a surveillance system watching every driver's movements deserves.
Credit to WKOW 27 News for covering this story. If you want to see whether cameras like these are already watching your commute, check our camera map, and if you'd rather not wait for your own county to make headlines, visit our take-action page to push back now.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of WKOW 27 NEWS, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.