Documented Incident
Milwaukee woman retains attorney after outdated Flock alert led to gunpoint traffic stop
First reported: August 26, 2026 · 3 sources
Amber Newell was pulled over at gunpoint on I-94 in Wisconsin after her vehicle was flagged by Flock automated license plate reader cameras as connected to a homicide. Milwaukee police say the alert was outdated because the vehicle was never removed from the Flock database after being cleared in the investigation, and attribute the error to human error rather than a fault in the Flock system. Newell, who was not involved in the homicide, says she lost two jobs as a result of the stop. Her attorney, B'Ivory LaMarr, said he planned to file a notice of claim against the city of Milwaukee and the police department by the end of the week and would sue if necessary.
The case illustrates how stale entries in ALPR hot lists can produce high-risk felony-style stops of uninvolved drivers, raising questions about who is responsible for purging outdated alerts and what audit procedures exist. It also tests what remedies are available to people harmed by database errors.
Key facts
- Newell was stopped at gunpoint on I-94 after a Flock camera flagged her vehicle in connection with a homicide she had no involvement in.
- Milwaukee police attribute the flag to human error in failing to remove the vehicle from the Flock database, not a system malfunction.
- Newell says she lost two jobs following the stop.
- Attorney B'Ivory LaMarr said a notice of claim would be filed against Milwaukee and its police department, with a lawsuit possible.
- The article notes Milwaukee police have faced multiple other allegations of Flock misuse; those claims are unresolved as described.
Timeline
- August 26, 2026Woman hires attorney after Flock camera database error leads to gunpoint stop
- August 29, 2026Flock Safety Database Error Leaves Milwaukee Driver at Gunpoint on I-94
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Woman hires attorney after Flock camera database error leads to gunpoint stop (KSHB 41 Kansas City, August 26, 2026)
- Woman hires attorney after Flock camera database error leads to gunpoint stop (Scripps News, August 26, 2026)
- Flock Safety Database Error Leaves Milwaukee Driver at Gunpoint on I-94 (lawnews.co.uk, August 29, 2026)
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About this record
BlockFlockNow documents reported incidents involving Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers: council votes, contract decisions, misuse by authorized users, lawsuits, audits, and community response. Every record is reviewed by a person before publication. New to the topic? Start with What is Flock?, find meetings near you, or learn how to request your town's camera records.
Updated August 30, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.