For most drivers, an automated license plate reader (ALPR) is just a piece of metal sitting quietly on the side of the highway. But when the technology powering those cameras makes a catastrophic mistake, the consequences for everyday citizens can be absolutely terrifying.
A high-risk traffic stop in Wisconsin is currently putting Flock Safety cameras under intense scrutiny. A digital mix-up in the system recently resulted in an innocent driver and their passenger being pulled over by multiple police cruisers and held at gunpoint on Interstate 94.
The incident occurred in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, when Brookfield Police Department officers received a severe alert from their Flock camera network. The ALPR system flagged a passing vehicle, indicating it was directly connected to an active homicide investigation out of Milwaukee.
Acting on the severity of the digital alert, officers initiated a high-risk felony traffic stop. In footage obtained by FOX6 News Milwaukee, the terrifying reality of the situation is clear. The broadcast highlighted the dashcam video, noting there were “multiple squads on I-94… officers with guns drawn and a passenger sticking their hands out the window”…