An analysis of Flock Safety audit data reveals the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department (WCSD) in Wisconsin routinely uses vague justifications for searching the license plate reader network. Over 6,700 searches were logged with the generic term “investigation,” rendering meaningful public oversight impossible. Civil liberties advocates from the EFF and ACLU argue this lack of specificity creates a high risk for abuse, such as stalking or biased policing, with no mechanism for accountability.
The investigation also uncovered “mission creep,” with the WCSD using the surveillance system for non-criminal matters like evictions, directly contradicting the public safety mission used to justify its purchase. While the department claims internal policies and training prevent misuse, the audit data itself shows searches logged for “surveillance” and “traffic offense”–uses the department explicitly denies.