A police department in Wisconsin faces accusations of installing Flock Safety cameras without informing the town’s mayor or city council.
“The City of Chetek installed two flock cameras in late May,” WLAX stated.
Knowledge of the cameras sparked public concerns over privacy.
Chetek Mayor Jeff Martin supports the use of the cameras.
Martin said the police chief did nothing “illegal or wrong.”
“As the head of his department, he has the right. If he thinks, hey, this tool will help, he didn’t have to come to me or the council and ask permission,” Martin said.
“It’s part of his operating budget. So, the funds for these things came out of his operating budget. He had the money, I assume, because, again, he didn’t ask for extra,” he added.
Watch below:
Police officers in Wisconsin are now secretly installing Flock cameras in neighborhoods without getting permission from the local government or city council.
After the police officers were caught, the mayor said the police have the right to install any camera to spy on citizens… pic.twitter.com/abTMXkdmoV
— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) July 21, 2026
WLAX has more:
In a city council meeting about the issue last week, Chetek Police Chief, Ron Ambrozaitis had a outburst in response to public comments criticizing the use of flock cameras.
He has since apologized for his actions at the meeting.
Flock Safety license plate reader cameras have caused outrage in communities across the United States.
For instance, multiple towns in Connecticut decided to remove the cameras.
WEAU shared further:
Mayor Jeff Martin said Police Chief Ron Ambrozaitis did not inform him or the City Council before the cameras went up.
“He put them up without informing me or any of the council. He just went and did it,” Martin said. “I’m sure that’s what he’s like, ‘Oh, this will be great.’”
The cameras quickly drew criticism from some community members, including Zach Hodgson, who said the technology could expand surveillance in small towns.
ADVERTISEMENT“I just don’t believe we need a mass surveillance town in every city, in every town, in parks, um, everywhere,” Hodgson said.
Hodgson said he believes Ambrozaitis had good intentions, but criticized how the rollout was handled.
