Oconomowoc Area School District leases Flock cameras: records
Oconomowoc Area School District leases Flock cameras: records
Police use Flock cameras, which has sparked fierce debate, but now FOX6 has learned the Oconomowoc Area School District leases four Flock cameras.
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - Police use Flock cameras, which has sparked fierce debate, but now FOX6 News has learned one Wisconsin high school is using them as well.
Oconomowoc Flock cameras
Local perspective:
Every time a person drives into Oconomowoc High School, a Flock camera snaps a picture of the vehicle going by. FOX6 News obtained records and invoices that show the Oconomowoc Area School District leases four Flock cameras. The district pays $3,000 per camera, per year.
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How does school district use Flock?
What we know:
Audit logs show when the district searched the database. On June 1, the district’s director of buildings and grounds searched the system three times. The reason listed was a missing or stolen cooler for the high school’s "Grilling to Give" fundraiser.
Then on Aug. 7, the logs show Principal Jason Curtis used the database three times. It lists the reason as searching for a missing car – a black Kia.
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The audit logs also show the Oconomowoc Police Department and Waukesha County searched the school district’s camera database more than 1,300 times in June, July and August 2026.
What we don't know:
In the records request response, the district said it does not have a specific policy on Flock cameras. Questions remain, like why the district decided to lease these cameras. FOX6 News asked for an interview this afternoon with the principal and superintendent. The district said neither were available.
Response from Oconomowoc superintendent
What they're saying:
On Thursday, Sept. 10, Superintendent Michael Sereno sent FOX6 the following statement:
"The Oconomowoc Area School District is committed to ensuring the safety and security of our students, staff, and schools. In recent years, the district has implemented many safety measures and protocols, including the installation of secure entrances at all buildings, partnerships with the City of Oconomowoc to staff two School Resource Officers, background checks for all school visitors and volunteers, and a variety of student and staff safety training and routines."
"In December 2023, the district purchased and installed Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs), manufactured by Flock, to further enhance safety at the entrances to our largest school property, Oconomowoc High School. These cameras have been used, in partnership with the Oconomowoc Police Department and the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department, to investigate instances of theft, vandalism, and other unlawful activities on our campus. Additionally, they have led to a faster police response to potential critical emergencies on our campus and have been used to quickly alert law enforcement when individuals who are not authorized to be on school grounds have entered our property."
"At the same time, we recognize the current debate around ALPRs and the need to balance safety and security with potential abuses or breaches of data security. The City of Oconomowoc is currently debating this issue, and our School Board and leadership team are in contact with city leaders while these discussions progress. Given our district’s strong partnership with both the City of Oconomowoc and the Oconomowoc Police Department, we will honor and align our practice with any decision the city makes around the use of ALPRs."
"The use of ALPRs has elicited strong opinions for both their potential safety enhancements and their potential misuse. The OASD and City of Oconomowoc have not experienced incidents of misuse with the technology. We appreciate and respect all of these viewpoints, and we will continue to evaluate our use of this technology along with additional strategies to keep our students and schools safe. We are grateful to our community for their support and investment in our students, and their desire to ensure our schools and community remain both safe and vibrant."
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Jason Calvi and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from internal records, invoices, audit logs FOX6 obtained through a records request with the Oconomowoc Area School District.