The UW-Madison Police Department uses a limited number of automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras provided by Flock Safety to support our critical mission of keeping our campus community safe.
These cameras are designed to help law enforcement identify vehicles connected to specific criminal investigations, locate missing persons, and respond more effectively to serious safety concerns — while respecting privacy and civil liberties.
At this time, UWPD operates eight Flock cameras located at select campus locations.
How UWPD Uses Flock Cameras
UWPD uses Flock Safety cameras as an investigative and situational-awareness tool, not for general surveillance. Per UWPD policy, access to the system is restricted to UWPD personnel only. All access is logged and audited to ensure compliance.
- The still cameras are built to support crime prevention and investigations by helping us quickly identify vehicles tied to serious incidents such as stolen vehicles, Amber Alerts, violent crime, and missing persons.
- The cameras are focused on vehicle data — not individuals. The technology captures license plates and vehicle characteristics from fixed, visible public locations. It does not gather personal identity details about drivers or passengers, and it does not use facial recognition.
- The cameras allow us to work faster and smarter. Automated license plate reader technology provides searchable, objective evidence that helps us locate suspects and critical vehicles far more quickly than relying solely on tips or manual investigation alone.
What we use the cameras for:
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Assisting with investigations of serious crimes
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Helping locate missing or endangered persons
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Identifying vehicles associated with public safety threats
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Providing alerts for vehicles connected to active investigations
The system allows officers to search for vehicles based on specific criteria related to a legitimate law-enforcement purpose. All cameras are still cameras only, and they are never monitored in real-time.
What we DON’T use the cameras for:
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Monitoring individuals or tracking people
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Conducting random or continuous surveillance
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Enforcing traffic violations
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Tracking vehicles for immigration enforcement
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Identifying drivers or vehicle occupants
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Conducting facial recognition (the system does not have this capability)
Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a list of frequently asked questions about the Flock camera system and how we use it. If you have other questions that aren’t addressed here, please email us.
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How long is data kept?
UWPD does not retain any data from the cameras — all data is collected and stored by Flock and must be requested by authorized UWPD personnel. Vehicle images and data are retained by Flock for 30 days and only saved if the requested data is part of an active criminal investigation or required for evidentiary or legal purposes. After the 30-day retention period, the data is automatically deleted.
Are Flock cameras used for immigration enforcement?
No. In fact, UWPD has enabled specific settings within our system to prevent searches related to immigration enforcement. Immigration enforcement is not part of UWPD’s mission, and our department does not participate in immigration enforcement actions conducted by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Learn more about our practices related to immigration enforcement here.
Who can access the data?
Access is limited to trained and authorized UWPD personnel only. If requested, data from our cameras is only shared with law enforcement in the State of Wisconsin. By default, unless specifically authorized by UWPD, federal agencies and law enforcement from outside Wisconsin do not have access to data from our cameras.
Does the system use facial recognition?
No. Flock Safety cameras do not use facial recognition and cannot identify people.
Can the system identify who is driving a vehicle?
No. The system captures only vehicle information — such as license plate numbers, vehicle color, and make/model.
Are students, staff, or visitors being tracked?
No. UWPD does not use this technology to track individuals or monitor daily activity.
Why did UWPD choose to use this technology?
The system provides an additional tool to enhance investigative capabilities and support campus safety during critical incidents. It’s one of many tools our department uses — it’s not a replacement for officers, community partnerships, or traditional policing.
Transparency Portal
UWPD has partnered with Flock Safety to create a Transparency Portal, specific to our Flock cameras. The portal tracks and shares information such as data retention, the number of cameras in operation, and which law enforcement organizations have been granted access to our cameras.