Winona police want to know who stole their Flock surveillance cameras
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
The Winona Police Department is investigating who stole the city’s fleet of Flock traffic cameras.
In a news release, the department said all eight of their Flock cameras, which automatically read license plates and capture other vehicle information, are gone.
The discovery was made over the weekend. Police said that on the evening of Aug. 1, “an officer noted that there had been no recent activity on the cameras. Officers subsequently checked the various locations where the Flock cameras were placed and found that the poles were cut down near the base.”
The release added that the poles were found in weeds nearby, but the cameras were missing.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
The cost to replace each camera and pole is about $3,000.
The department's ongoing investigation follows a rash of Flock camera vandalism. Cameras in Faribault, Edina and Duluth have been damaged or stolen as well.
The use of Flock cameras is growing controversial all across the country. The devices, developed by the Atlanta-based company Flock Safety, are automated license plate readers, but critics say they do much more than that.
The cameras use artificial intelligence to scan each vehicle that passes by and then compiles the time, date and direction of travel, as well as other data, including vehicle make, model, color, license plate and even bumper stickers, which is all uploaded to a national vehicle tracking database.
There’s been a growing anti-surveillance backlash to cities and towns using Flock cameras. Civil liberties groups say the cameras allow police to track people’s movement and whereabouts without a warrant.
The city council in Twin Cities suburb of Columbia Heights recently voted to cancel its contract with Flock Safety and stop using the devices. Some people have even alleged that rogue police officers have used the cameras to stalk people.
