Baldwin wants local control of Flock cameras with strong data safeguards
Tammy BaldwinU.S. senator from Wisconsin, in an interview with TMJ4
Baldwin said Flock camera abuse stories are unacceptable, that decisions should stay local, and that communities need strong safeguards on who can access the data and how, adding that the government should never surveil its citizens.
“But I do think that they need to have strong safeguards about who and how the data can be accessed, and it's really, really important that we keep in mind that the government should not be ever surveilling its citizens.”
Reporting
Other statements by Tammy Baldwin in this case
- Baldwin wants strong safeguards but local choice on Flock camerasSame day: Mixed or conditional
Where this statement fits
Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
Networked automated license-plate readers record passing vehicles and let agencies search or share travel records across locations. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to prohibit these networks, keep them with legal limits, or defend their use for investigations. This tracker records attributable positions on that choice, including proposals that would affect only public funding or data access.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
TMJ4 interviewed Baldwin on camera; Johnson responded in a written statement. The story notes the federal Flock-Off Act had just been proposed. The report aired Sept. 5, 2026.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Baldwin told TMJ4 the stories she reads about Flock camera abuse are unacceptable, saying, "I don't want to read another story about somebody stalking an ex-girlfriend using Flock data." She said she sees the issue as best handled locally.
After the quotation
She said local communities need leeway to weigh their crime and public safety challenges. The same report noted a new federal bill, the Flock-Off Act, that would restrict federal funding for the cameras.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Baldwin supports keeping local use of the cameras with strong safeguards on data access. Keeping the cameras with general safeguards fits Mixed or conditional on the guardrails step.
- Recorded on
- Published here
More from this case
Read the full caseJacob Burnett says Flock-style cameras should be done away with, with warrants required if they stay
“The systems themselves can be modified to prevent nearly all abuse and be made more secure by requiring warrants for access or follow through on any data the systems collect and have all data stored on the hardware itself preventing viewing from remote locations, requiring strict login credentials and a connecting warrant number to access. These are common sense changes that if the systems are to be used I feel could correct a lot of abuse or privacy concerns but I also feel the systems should be done away with overall, especially in the realm of predictive crime analytics.”Read statement
Dean Brewer, an independent candidate for Tennessee governor, says Flock cameras should be banned
“I believe flock cameras should be banned.”Read statement
Buddy Carter says license plate cameras help investigators but need privacy safeguards
“Technologies like license plate recognition cameras can provide valuable investigative tools, but they have also raised important questions about privacy and government oversight. As these systems become more common, it is important to balance public safety with appropriate safeguards that protect individual privacy.”Read statement
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- Title
- Baldwin wants local control of Flock cameras with strong data safeguards
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- https://disputeindex.com/events/3513-baldwin-said-flock-camera-abuse-stories-are-unacceptable
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Baldwin wants local control of Flock cameras with strong data safeguards". First published: 2026-09-30. Last updated: 2026-09-30. https://disputeindex.com/events/3513-baldwin-said-flock-camera-abuse-stories-are-unacceptable