As downtown Milwaukee business leaders raise concerns about increasing crime, law enforcement agencies, neighborhoods and businesses across the state are implementing technology that promises to help reduce crime by up to 70%.
The Mequon Police Department is among 28 entities statewide that use Flock Safety, a license-plate-reading camera system developed by an Atlanta startup that's valued at $3.5 billion. The cameras provide 24/7 monitoring and alert local police when a stolen vehicle or wanted person is detected.
Mequon recently recovered four stolen vehicles using its new Flock Safety system, according to a March 18 announcement on the city of Mequon's website. The system alerted the department to seven stolen vehicles.
"The department was able to respond to these locations, locate four of the seven stolen vehicles, recover them, and make arrests," the bulletin stated. "This camera system continues to be a force multiplier by assisting and directing officers to the presence of vehicles associated with crime within the city."
The city noted that none of the vehicles were stolen from within the city of Mequon but rather were found there as the drivers were passing through.
In addition to the Mequon Police Department, the police departments in Hartford, Brown Deer, Grafton and Germantown also use Flock Safety, the company's public relations associate Kyndra Farley said.
Last year, motor vehicle thefts were up 132% in the city of Milwaukee compared with 2020, Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) data shows. In MPD District 1, which includes downtown, the east side and the Third Ward, automobile thefts were up 524% in 2021 compared with the prior year.
Flock Safety says its system is designed to prevent bias by capturing vehicle characteristics but not personally identifiable information like who is driving or riding in a vehicle.
Founded in 2017, the startup was valued at $3.5 billion after its $150 million Series E funding round that was announced last month, according to Atlanta Inno. It surpassed the milestone billion-dollar 'unicorn' valuation after its $150 million Series D round in July 2021.
The company says its system is more affordable than traditional license plate reading cameras. Each camera is $2,500 per year, plus a one-time installation cost. The annual fee includes maintenance, footage hosting, cellular service and software updates.
The cameras are solar-powered, motion-activated and cloud-connected through LTE. The security system leverages the FBI National Crime Information Center's federal and state hotlists to send real-time alerts to law enforcement.
