RHINELANDER, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – Oneida County is ending its partnership with Flock cameras after six years of use.
Oneida county’s Captain of Investigations, Tyler Young said the county started with four cameras before adding two more to continue its contract with the company.
He said the cameras helped investigators solve cases, but concerns grew about data protection and who could access it. “I can’t stand here and say with confidence that nefarious actors can’t be accessing the data or where all that data is going,” Young said.
He said questions also arose about how the technology could be used beyond its original purpose And with concerns from the community growing, the sheriff’s office decided to end the partnership. “We’re servants of our community and we listen, and it’s too much at risk for people’s privacy to continue utilizing that technology,” Young said.
Young said six county cameras were taken down last week.
He said two other government entities had cameras in the county because they were bordering, and those cameras were also removed.
The decision follows Stevens Point’s suspension of Flock cameras last month.
Young said ending the Flock contract doesn’t mean the sheriff’s office is done considering technology. “We’re always going to consider different technologies,” Young said. “Right at this time, we’re not looking at anything specific at all.”
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