Shakopee officials defend Flock cams against 'misinformation' ahead of meeting
St. Paul City Council passes resolution on Flock cameras
The St. Paul City Council is calling for a ban on Flock cameras but has not banned them. FOX 9's Leon Purvis has more.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Documents posted to the Shakopee City Council agenda are defending the city's Flock cameras program against "social media outrage campaigns" and "misinformation" ahead of a council meeting this week on the license plate reading tech.
Shakopee leaders to discuss Flock cameras
What we know:
The Shakopee City Council is scheduled to host a "workshop discussion" about Flock cameras during its meeting on Tuesday night. No decisions on the automated license plate readers are expected at the meeting. However, council documents posted ahead of the meeting are offering a vigorous defense of the technology amid intense backlash nationwide against Flock.
What they're saying:
The agenda item for the council documents, that are listed as prepared by the city administrator, read:
"One of the latest social media outrage campaigns revolves around Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) or commonly known by the brand name ‘Flock’ cameras. There is a great amount of misinformation that is related to these online discussions which has generated pockets of concern in some communities. Unfortunately, most of the level of concern is based upon misinformation and not facts."
The council document adds: "An ALPR does essentially one thing. It automatically reads license plate numbers of vehicles that pass by its line of sight. There are some variations between brands, but that is the essential function of the device. It will record the time of the activity and may record some details of the vehicle."
'ALPRs are a good law enforcement tool'
The other side:
The agenda item spells out the restrictions under Minnesota law for the cameras and how they've been used to solve crimes and bring an end to emergency situations.
"ALPRs are used by Shakopee because they are a good law enforcement tool to solve crimes, apprehend violent felons, locate stolen vehicles, and in conjunction with Silver Alerts and Amber Alerts to find vulnerable adults and children," the document adds. "We also have both ALPR and photographic cameras in two of our largest parks to prevent issues of on-going damage which council is well aware of."
Local perspective:
The agenda item also includes an attachment letter from Shakopee Police Chief Jamie Pearson that explains the legal restrictions for accessing Flock cameras and a list of recent cases that cameras have helped the department solve. Here is a reproduction of that list:
- November 2025 – Attempted murder/shooting: FLOCK instrumental in identifying the suspect vehicle
- August 2026 – Felony fleeing and drug possession: A FLOCK alert indicated a KOPS alert associated with a vehicle requiring officers to stop the vehicle and identify the driver. Shakopee officers located the vehicle and subsequently identified the driver as an individual who had previously fled from Burnsville police. The driver was arrested and charged with fifthdegree drug possession, a felony.
- July 2026 – Stolen motor vehicle: FLOCK information assisted officers in the recovery of a stolen motor vehicle, resulting in a felony investigation.
- May 2026 – Homicide investigation: FLOCK was instrumental in the identification and location of a homicide suspect vehicle less than one hour after the homicide occurred.
- February 2026 – Stolen motor vehicle: FLOCK assisted in the recovery of a stolen motor vehicle. The investigation subsequently resulted in a second suspect being identified and charged with multiple additional felony offenses.
What's next:
The Flock discussion is scheduled to be part of the Shakopee council's meeting on Tuesday which begins at 7 p.m.
Other cities move on from Flock
Big picture view:
The defense comes as Flock technology faces backlash and vandalism across the country and other Minnesota cities move to pull the cameras.
Last week, the St. Paul City Council held a special meeting on Flock as City Council President Rebecca Noecker called for the city and county to cut ties with Flock.
The Dayton City Council also voted last week to suspend its Flock program after its cameras were damaged.
In recent months, law enforcement agencies in Duluth, West St. Paul, Columbia Heights, North Branch, Isanti County, and Sherburne County have dropped or suspended their programs.
However, some law enforcement leaders, like Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher and the Anoka County Sheriff's Office, have pointed out how effective the technology can be in solving crimes.
The Source: Shakopee City Council documents