Independent Iowa watchdog
I'm Jonathan Auberg. I investigate Iowa government and surveillance through contracts, correspondence, and data exports. I compare the records with official accounts and show what they establish—and what they leave unanswered.
Featured watchdog report · Public search audits
July 2026 CSV exports differed in the fields used to describe a plate search. A blank reason cell, a missing reason column, and an offense-type field require different interpretations.
Read the storyWest Des Moines · Flock Safety
Start with a finding. Follow its source references. Check the limits of the claim.
Council approval · f-004
Before the vote · f-008
The agreement copy · f-011
Contractor registration · f-012
Audit exports · f-027
Technology inventory · f-032
The newsroom
Investigation
Flock later obtained an Iowa contractor registration. But the records gathered by the Sentinel do not document a penalty for the earlier work, an electrical exemption determination or local enforcement.
Investigation
Flock requested a pre-vote signature with a condition that would void the agreement if the council rejected it. The emails establish the request, not that city officials signed before the vote.