MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee's police chief is defending the department's use of Flock license plate reader cameras after a second Milwaukee Police Department officer was criminally charged with misusing the technology for personal reasons.
Court records show prosecutors found suspended MPD Detective Terangi Chapman began misusing the department's license plate reading technology nearly two years before he was assigned to investigate another officer's misuse. In both cases, court documents show that MPD did not know about the misuse until the victims came forward.
Chief Jeffrey Norman said he was frustrated and disappointed to learn of the detective's alleged misuse of Flock, but he insists MPD handled the investigation properly.
"This could have been an internally held or handled particular type of situation, but we did not choose that route," Norman said.
Watch: Milwaukee police chief defends Flock cameras after 2nd officer charged with misuse
Instead, the District Attorney's Office took over. Court records show prosecutors found Detective Chapman searched the locations of two victims a total of 20 times. Court records show all of those unauthorized searches happened before he started investigating former Officer Josue Ayala for the same conduct.
Despite the controversy, Norman said he stands behind the department's use of the technology.
"Absolutely, unequivocally," Norman said. "It's important to understand that we are a department of tools. Flock is a tool. We have so many examples of what happens when we use these tools in the right way."
Flock Safety's license plate reading database is only supposed to be used for criminal investigations. The 31 cameras in Milwaukee photograph the backs of vehicles, including license plates. That data is then stored in a database for 30 days.
Not everyone is convinced the technology should remain in use. Jamaal McCall, who lives near two Flock cameras in Milwaukee, said the system raises serious concerns.
"I think it's a violation of our human rights if you can use cameras to just dig into somebody's life like that. I don't think that's right at all," McCall said.
Amanda Merkwae with ACLU Wisconsin, an organization opposed to Flock cameras, echoed those concerns.
"I don't think it's the government's business where I go to school, where I go to work," Merkwae said. "We need way more oversight and control by local residents over the way that MPD surveils folks that live here.”
Chief Norman said he does not currently plan to implement new Flock policy changes beyond what the department did months ago — limiting the number of officers with access and bolstering the department's audit system.
"The most important thing I think our public should see is that we take this seriously," Norman said.
TMJ4 spoke with Flock co-founder Paige Todd, who said the biggest safeguard against abusing the Flock system is its immutable auditing system.
"I think the biggest thing is what's happening right now. It's knowing when something like this happens, it will be found. Everything is audited. It hopefully will prevent future bad actors from behaving this way," Todd said.
Norman said he is not aware of any other MPD officers being investigated for Flock misuse.
Chapman faces two criminal charges, including a felony for misconduct in public office. TMJ4 reached out to Chapman and his attorney several times but have yet to hear back. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance next Friday.
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