MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Flock Camera and Drone Contract Signed One Dollar Below County Board Approval Threshold

ANOKA COUNTY, MN (July 24, 2026)

Anoka County Sheriff Brad Wise signed a one-year, $174,999 contract with Flock Safety on June 30 for a public safety pilot involving automated license plate reader cameras and remotely deployed drones.

The agreement establishes what county officials call the "Flock Safe County Pilot Project." According to Anoka County Commissioner Mandy Meisner, the initiative expands the county's existing Flock camera system and places fixed-location drones across the area to support emergency response operations.

The contract was executed directly by the Sheriff's Office without a vote by the Anoka County Board of Commissioners.

Contract falls below published review threshold

Anoka County's published vendor guidance states that informal purchasing procedures apply to contracts up to $175,000. County policy explicitly mandates that "all non-budgeted and all contract agreements awarding over $175,000 require County Board approval."

At $174,999, the Flock agreement sits exactly one dollar below the $175,000 board approval mark.

Because the published threshold specifically applies to agreements valued over $175,000, the contract did not require a formal vote by the County Board.

Standard rules outlined in the Anoka County Procurement Policy mandate competitive bidding for purchases between $25,001 and $175,000 unless an authorized exception or cooperative purchasing arrangement applies. Local law enforcement agencies frequently utilize statewide or national cooperative purchasing contracts for specialized technology suites. Public records reviewed for this reporting do not specify which specific procurement pathway was utilized for this agreement.

Commissioner cites lack of consultation

Commissioner Meisner publicly criticized the decision-making path after learning the contract had been finalized.

"I do not support how this decision was made," Meisner said in an official public statement.

Meisner stated she was neither invited to provide input nor informed about the final contract until after Sheriff Wise executed it. Prior to signing, she advocated for routing the initiative through Anoka County's Capital Improvement Plan process, arguing that approach would have allowed commissioners to evaluate financial impacts, establish operational guardrails, and invite public testimony.

"Major initiatives affecting our communities are strongest when they are developed through transparency, collaboration, and public engagement," Meisner added.

Independent statutory authority of the Sheriff

The Anoka County Sheriff operates as an independently elected official with distinct statutory law enforcement responsibilities. While the County Board sets overall departmental budgets and approves contracts exceeding designated financial limits, it does not oversee routine operational decisions made by the Sheriff's Office.

Anoka County procurement policy governs county personnel and elected officials using county purchasing resources. However, the policy explicitly states it must not be interpreted to restrict or interfere with the statutory duties of elected constitutional officers.

The contract designates the Anoka County Sheriff's Office, rather than the County Board, as the primary contracting entity. Requests for comment sent to the Sheriff's Office regarding the timing and final structure of the agreement were not answered prior to publication.

Pre-execution public discussions occurred

While commissioners did not vote on the final contract, public records indicate the proposed technology was discussed prior to execution.

The Anoka County Public Safety Committee included an informational review of the "Flock Safe County – Drone First Responder Program" on its April 28 agenda, followed by an official county presentation detailing the proposal (also archived in municipal records via Fridley's public filing). On May 14, Meisner and local municipal leaders hosted a town hall in Columbia Heights to address community questions regarding Flock cameras and drone deployments.

While these forums provided advance notice that the program was under evaluation, no formal board vote occurred on the final $174,999 expenditure.

Technical capabilities and privacy concerns

Flock Safety provides automated license plate readers (ALPR) and aerial drone systems designed for law enforcement operations.

ALPR systems capture vehicle license plates, times, and locations, allowing law enforcement to cross-reference data against national databases for stolen vehicles, missing persons, and active warrants. The Drone as First Responder (DFR) technology allows units to launch automatically upon receiving an emergency call, supplying real-time aerial information to dispatchers and officers arriving on scene.

The expansion raises ongoing questions regarding data retention, search auditing, information sharing, and civilian privacy safeguards. Meisner noted that while technology can support public safety, residents deserve clear policies governing surveillance and data access. She also advocated for allowing individual municipalities, such as Columbia Heights, Hilltop, and Fridley, the option to opt out of local deployments.

Whether municipal governments possess formal opt-out authority remains undocumented in publicly available contract materials.

What the verified record establishes

The verified record confirms that Sheriff Wise signed a $174,999 contract, that the total sits below the county's $175,000 threshold for mandatory board review, and that the County Board did not hold a formal vote.

The available evidence does not establish that:

• The contract figure was intentionally set to bypass board oversight.
• Executing the agreement without a board vote violated Minnesota law.
• State statute required a separate public hearing prior to execution.
• The pilot program was conducted without prior public discussion.
• Any data gathered under the pilot has been misused.

Questions regarding the pilot program may be directed to Sheriff Brad Wise at Brad.Wise@anokacountymn.gov or 763-324-5010.

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