Police in Wisconsin used Flock camera feeds to determine that a man who regularly traveled to Michigan and back was likely trafficking cannabis, which remains strictly prohibited in Wisconsin, according to a 404 Media report.
Ultimately, Flock’s surveillance technology aided officers in getting the probable cause justification for a vehicle search against Edward Abrams-Phillips, which led to his arrest for cannabis possession.
Flock is a U.S. technology firm that uses automated license plate reader cameras throughout the country to track and log individual vehicle movements. The company presents itself as a public safety technology firm that helps law enforcement and private communities maintain safe communities. However, the company is facing multiple lawsuits and legal challenges alleging privacy violations and mass surveillance, among other concerns.
Abrams-Phillips was under investigation for jumping bail on domestic violence charges, but those charges were dropped, and he was ultimately convicted only of cannabis possession, the report said.
The case demonstrates how police in cannabis prohibition states still prosecute those who visit state-legal markets to buy cannabis, and highlights one of the concerns brought up in the lawsuits against Flock — particularly, that the camera surveillance technology could facilitate police overreach in digging for crimes by individuals based purely on their travel habits.
And for cannabis consumers who travel out-of-state to access a regulated cannabis market, it confirms there is a risk that Flock cameras could be used to track and flag their travel by law enforcement in their own state.
One Michigan dispensary, JARS Cannabis in Madison Heights, posted a sign last month with the text “NO FLOCK ZONE” blocking the view of the Flock camera put up in its parking lot, but city officials issued a letter demanding the sign’s removal within 48 hours at the risk of sanctions against the business.
The company issued the statement: “We share our community’s concerns about increased surveillance, which is why we placed the No Flock Zone sign in front of the camera to block its ability to record.”
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