Shakopee officials defend Flock camera program against misinformation

Shakopee city officials have issued a defense of the city’s Flock automated license plate reader (ALPR) program ahead of a scheduled City Council workshop. In documents prepared by the city administrator, officials characterized recent opposition to the technology as a “social media outrage campaign” driven by “misinformation” rather than factual concerns.

The city maintains that the cameras are a vital law enforcement tool used to solve crimes, apprehend violent felons, locate stolen vehicles, and assist in Amber and Silver Alerts. The documents clarify that the devices essentially record license plate numbers and the time of activity as vehicles pass through their line of sight.

The upcoming workshop is intended for discussion and information sharing; no formal decisions regarding the future of the camera program are expected during the meeting. The preemptive defense comes as Flock technology faces increasing scrutiny, vandalism, and legislative bans in other Minnesota municipalities.