La Crosse Police Department ending Flock Safety camera contract

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WEAU) - The La Crosse Police Department is announcing it is ending its Flock Safety camera contract.

La Crosse police say the decision follows extensive review and discussions but ultimately was made in order to uphold the department’s “high standards of integrity, professionalism and ethical responsibility.”

According to La Crose police, despite the tool’s effectiveness locally, department leadership continues to express a growing concern regarding the lack of robust policies and guardrails across other agencies that share access to the broader network.

“This decision was not taken lightly,” said City of La Crosse Police Chief Shawn Kudron. “Flock has been a highly effective investigative tool for our staff, and I want to emphasize that the hard work, integrity, and commitment of our team in strictly upholding our department policies have not gone unnoticed. However, our commitment to public trust must extend beyond our own agency. We cannot, in good conscience, participate in a network where the same robust accountability and oversight are not guaranteed everywhere, and we must uphold the high standards our community expects of us every day.”

City of La Crosse Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey says he supports the decision.

“As Mayor, I fully support Chief Kudron and our police department in making this difficult but necessary decision,” said Mayor Washington-Spivey. “We cannot compromise on accountability and oversight. I want to state my full backing of our police department’s internal policies, core values, and assessment of this technology. While these higher standards of accountability may not be required everywhere in the nation, they are vital to how we operate in La Crosse. We will continue to support our police department with resources and tools that uphold both public safety and the high ethical standards our residents deserve.”

PRESS RELEASE: Statement on Flock Safety Program | City of La Crosse, WI