Documented Incident
Waukee, Iowa police won't renew Flock contract, citing privacy and data retention concerns
Event: August 14, 2026 · First reported: August 15, 2026 · 3 sources
Waukee Police Chief Chad McCluskey announced in a Facebook post on Friday, Aug. 14 that the department will not renew its contract with Flock Safety and will stop using automated license plate readers pending the outcome of Iowa's 2027 legislative session, when lawmakers are expected to consider ALPR legislation. McCluskey said the decision followed national discussions centered on privacy and data retention, and that the department preferred to let the legislature set clear statewide standards first. He also said Waukee's 11 Flock cameras had aided cases including locating a man with dementia, a sex trafficking suspect, an ATM theft ring and a multi-state fraud case, and that effectiveness alone was not the only measure of a good decision.
Waukee is the first central Iowa metro city to end its Flock contract, and its stated rationale — pausing until the legislature sets statewide rules — offers a template other municipalities may cite while state-level ALPR policy remains unsettled.
Key facts
- Announced Friday, Aug. 14, by Waukee Police Chief Chad McCluskey in a Facebook post; the department will not renew its Flock Safety agreement.
- Waukee has 11 Flock cameras; McCluskey told the Des Moines Register none of them had been vandalized.
- The pause is tied to the 2027 Iowa legislative session, where lawmakers are expected to weigh ALPR legislation.
- Waukee is the first central Iowa metro city to end its Flock contract; Coralville in eastern Iowa canceled its contract in February.
- Ankeny, Altoona, Clive, Johnston, Urbandale, West Des Moines, Windsor Heights and Pleasant Hill still hold Flock contracts; Des Moines uses Motorola equipment, with 120 mobile readers and two stationary cameras.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Waukee ends Flock camera contract amid concerns, awaits legislation (The Quad City Times, August 15, 2026)
- Waukee ends Flock camera contract amid concerns, awaits legislation (The Des Moines Register, August 15, 2026)
- Waukee ends Flock camera contract amid concerns , awaits legislation (yahoo.com, August 15, 2026)
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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 20, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.