MARATHON COUNTY TO KEEP FLOCK LICENSE PLATE CAMERAS

The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office plans to keep its network of Flock automated license-plate cameras, despite questions being raised about how the system is monitored. Sheriff Chad Billeb says the county’s 10 cameras remain a valuable public-safety tool and have helped with numerous investigations. More than 23,000 searches have been conducted through the system.

But a review of the Sheriff’s Office policy shows that language governing audits was changed in 2023. The policy now says command staff “may” conduct audits of camera searches, rather than requiring them on a regular schedule. The policy does require deputies to document a reason for each search. The Sheriff’s Office has also said it has safeguards and supervisory oversight in place to ensure the system is used appropriately.

Questions remain about how often searches are actually audited, whether any improper use has been identified, and how information collected by Flock is handled beyond the county’s 30-day retention period. The Sheriff’s Office has been asked for additional information on those issues.