MADISON, WI – As Flock cameras become a growing concern for Wisconsin voters, Democrat David Crowley is desperately trying to assure them that he shares their concerns. There’s just one problem: He spent years in Milwaukee County supporting the expansion of automated cameras and license plate readers. 

The Heartland Post summed up Crowley’s long and established record of expanding the surveillance regime both as a State Representative and as County Executive. This includes authoring bills to increase funding for automated traffic cameras and budgeting hundreds of thousands of dollars for license plate readers. This contrasts with Tom Tiffany, who will protect the privacy of law-abiding Wisconsinites.

Don’t be fooled by his campaign rhetoric, Big Brother Crowley is watching you.

Read the story here:

Long before David Crowley began raising concerns about “unchecked surveillance,” the Milwaukee County Executive spent years supporting the expansion of automated cameras and license plate readers in Wisconsin’s largest county.

From legislation that could have brought dozens of automated traffic cameras to Milwaukee to hundreds of thousands of dollars for license plate readers and, eventually, Flock cameras, Crowley has repeatedly backed efforts to give law enforcement access to new surveillance technology.

That record is receiving renewed attention after Crowley, the Democratic nominee for governor, issued a directive Tuesday calling for restrictions on Milwaukee County’s use of Flock cameras amid growing concerns about privacy and misuse of the technology.

“Public safety partners should have the right tools to keep Milwaukee County safe, but unchecked surveillance isn’t the answer,” Crowley said Tuesday, calling for new rules governing access, data retention and information sharing.

But Crowley’s support for automated surveillance dates back nearly a decade.

As a state representative in 2017, Crowley authored legislation that would have allowed Milwaukee to install automated traffic enforcement cameras. He reintroduced the proposal in 2019 as the “Safe Roads Save Lives Act,” arguing that law enforcement needed the “21st century tools they need to crack down on the epidemic of reckless driving.”

WISN reported at the time that Crowley’s proposal could have resulted in as many as 75 red-light and speed cameras being installed throughout Milwaukee.

Crowley continued supporting automated surveillance technology after becoming Milwaukee County Executive.

The county’s 2021 capital budget approved under Crowley included more than $250,000 for automated license plate readers.

Crowley then recommended another $254,235 for automated license plate readers for the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office in his proposed 2022 budget. While that funding ultimately did not make it into the final budget, Crowley again sought funding for license plate reader technology the following year.

More recently, Crowley signed budgets significantly expanding Milwaukee County’s investment in Flock — the same technology he is now seeking to restrict.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office reported entering into a $56,250 agreement with Flock in 2023. That purchase did not require Crowley’s approval.

But in 2025, Crowley signed a county budget allocating $142,000 for Flock cameras. His 2026 budget increased the allocation again to $156,200 — nearly tripling the county’s original contract over the course of three years.

Republican gubernatorial nominee Tom Tiffany pointed to that history Tuesday while accusing Crowley of changing his tune as controversy surrounding Flock grows.

“David Crowley has repeatedly sought more red-light cameras, speed cameras, and massive funding increases for automated license plate readers,” Tiffany said. “His answer has always been to give government more power to watch you.”

“I reject that ready-fire-aim approach,” Tiffany continued. “Traditional security cameras can help law enforcement solve serious crimes, but public safety cannot become a blank check for warrantless AI government surveillance.”

Flock cameras automatically capture license plates and vehicle information, allowing participating law enforcement agencies to search a database that can help identify where vehicles have traveled.

That capability has made the technology a useful investigative tool for police departments, but it has also generated growing privacy concerns as Flock’s network has expanded.

Those concerns have intensified following a series of cases involving law enforcement officers accused of using Flock for personal purposes. Wisconsin has produced several cases of its own.

A Milwaukee police officer was charged after allegedly searching the Flock system 179 times to monitor a woman he was dating and her former boyfriend. The Milwaukee Police Department official assigned to investigate that case was later accused of improperly using the system himself.

Similar allegations have surfaced involving law enforcement personnel in Menasha, Kenosha and Racine, several involving officers allegedly using government surveillance systems to track current or former romantic partners.

The technology also came under scrutiny after a recent incident in Brookfield involving health care worker Amber Newell.

Newell was traveling with family members when Brookfield police conducted a high-risk traffic stop after a Flock camera generated an alert connected to her vehicle. Officers drew their weapons and Newell was briefly handcuffed.

The camera itself had correctly identified Newell’s license plate. The problem was an outdated Milwaukee Police Department alert that should have been removed after an earlier encounter but remained active, resulting in Newell’s vehicle continuing to trigger law enforcement notifications.

Newell is now pursuing legal action over the incident.

The mounting controversies have led communities across Wisconsin to reconsider how they use the technology. Milwaukee recently tightened access to its Flock system, while other municipalities have reconsidered or terminated their relationships with the company.

Tiffany, meanwhile, is calling for a broader statewide response.

“When it comes to Flock, personal privacy needs to come first,” Tiffany said. “Government should not be building an AI surveillance network that tracks law-abiding Wisconsinites everywhere they drive.”