Marcy K. Busho

Do you support continuing to use Flock/ license plate readers in the city? Why or why not? 

Owatonna’s Flock cameras have been operational since October 2025, and I think it is important to consider what we have learned from their use so far.

Flock essentially points officers toward relevant information by processing license plates at a scale officers cannot do manually and comparing them with law-enforcement databases and alerts. Officers still verify the information, investigate, and exercise judgment.

The question is whether this level of automated data collection is necessary. Flock initially suggested more than 20 locations, with eight ultimately selected, and individual camera effectiveness has not yet been evaluated. In one 30-day period, those cameras captured more than 150,000 unique vehicles.

Technology can improve efficiency, but efficiency alone does not equate to necessity.

I have confidence in local law enforcement and recognize that Flock has provided useful investigative leads. My position isn’t about cost or lack of trust. I would need more specific evidence of its necessity and effectiveness to support renewal.

How do you plan to vote on the Public Safety referendum this fall? 

I agree that we need to invest in our police and fire facilities. The difficulty for me is that the referendum presents one specific plan as a yes-or-no decision. I believe greater investment in our existing facilities, along with addressing deferred maintenance and making a long-term commitment to maintaining our public assets, deserves serious consideration as an alternative to replacing both facilities. I support investing in public safety, but I’m not convinced the current proposal is the right solution.