MARATHON COUNTY FLOCK CAMERA SEARCHES RAISE OVERSIGHT QUESTIONS

The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office is facing questions about how it oversees a network of automated license plate cameras used by law enforcement.

According to records examined by Wausau Pilot & Review, the Sheriff’s Office has conducted more than 23,000 searches through its Flock camera system. The county operates ten cameras, with the system’s data available to law-enforcement agencies across the country. Records show the Marathon County system is shared with more than 1,400 agencies in 40 states. County policy requires deputies to document a reason for each search but does not require routine audits of how the system is being used.

The Sheriff’s Office says it has safeguards and supervisory oversight in place to ensure searches are conducted for legitimate law-enforcement purposes.