Wisconsin Tracks Man Across State Line with Flock Cameras to Arrest Him for Weed
Wisconsin police used a network of Flock license plate cameras to track a resident traveling to Michigan to purchase marijuana, leading to his arrest. The report highlights concerns regarding the use of mass surveillance technology for low-level drug enforcement.
Why it matters
This case illustrates the growing controversy over the use of automated surveillance networks by local law enforcement to monitor legal activities across state lines.
Let’s operate for a moment under the assumption that the primary purpose of law enforcement is to keep communities safe. What would make you feel less safe: a person who travels about an hour to purchase weed from a neighboring state where it’s legal, or a police force that uses a multi-state network of cameras to track and record that person’s behavior to coordinate his arrest for possession of weed?
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