MN Cities Split on Smart Camera Privacy Debate as Backlash Grows

Some towns in Minnesota are saying goodbye to Flock cameras while others refuse to give them up. The devices snap pictures of license plates all day long, and now locals want answers about who sees that data and why.

Plymouth made headlines when cops mistakenly boxed in a family that the system had wrongly flagged. That incident lit a fire under residents and advocacy groups. They pointed to reports of hundreds of searches tied to immigration enforcement as another red flag. In response, Flock trimmed how long it stores data, cutting retention from a month down to just one week. The company also started letting police departments block its cameras from being used for immigration work.

City after city has dropped its contract. Columbia Heights, Fridley, Sherburne County, Isanti County, and Duluth all walked away from Flock. St. Louis Park residents are now pushing their leaders to do the same. Lindsay Keogh from Progress in the Park says recent federal moves have sharpened public focus on these tools. "Everything that's happened with the federal government in the last probably six months has really brought it to the forefront," she explained. "It's been happening a long time in the background."

Not every community is running away from the technology. In Wyoming, Minnesota, the council just renewed its deal for four cameras. Police Chief Neil Bauer insists he keeps a close watch on how the system is used. He only shares information with a handful of nearby departments and requires written approval before handing over any data. "If they don't submit authorization, I remove them or don'tt provide access to begin with," Bauer said. He points to audits and strict rules as proof the cameras stay clean.

Critics say the numbers don't add up though. One Wyoming council member voted against renewal and argued the cameras produced only two investigative leads all year. Supporters counter that Flock processes roughly 20 billion license plates nationwide every single month and hits 93% accuracy. In Stillwater, a council member credited the system with cracking a fraud case and clearing someone falsely accused of assault.

The fight is far from over. Activists have tagged next week as the "National Week Against Automated License Plate Readers," hoping to pressure more cities into cutting ties. It's still unclear how many more Minnesota towns will keep or cancel their Flock deals, or what impact that push will actually have on local rules.