Six Months After Ditching Flock, Fitchburg Considers New Police Cameras

Fitchburg adopts 2027 budget, votes against police technology package six months after ending Flock contract

FITCHBURG, Wis. (WKOW) -- The Fitchburg Common Council adopted its proposed 2027 budget early Wednesday morning.

Six months after ditching Flock, Fitchburg considers new police cameras

FITCHBURG, Wis. — Six months after voting unanimously to end its contract with Flock Safety amid privacy concerns, Fitchburg city leaders are considering a new multimillion-dollar police technology system that would include drones, automated license plate readers and data analytics.

The Fitchburg council will vote Tuesday on funding for a "real time information center." Police say they need it for a growing city; critics are concerned about privacy.

The Fitchburg Common Council will vote Tuesday whether to amend the city’s operating budget to implement a real-time information center (RTIC) through a $1.8 million contract with Axon that would supply the police department with new body-worn cameras, drones, automated license plate readers (ALPR) and other technology to aid in evidence-gathering, reconnaissance and surveillance. The proposed contract comes with a discount of more than $710,000…