An automatic license plate reader company, used by hundreds of police departments across Illinois, allegedly broke state law by granting federal border enforcement officers access to Illinois license plate data, according to Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias.
The company, Flock Safety, also faced scrutiny earlier this year when out-of-state police allegedly used its system to search for a woman who had recently undergone an abortion, prompting the secretary of state’s office to audit the company.
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License plate readers capture a vehicle’s plate number, make, model, and other details while in motion, storing the information in a database that can be searched and shared among law enforcement agencies, governments, and private companies.
A 2023 Illinois law, backed by Giannoulias, prohibits sharing license plate reader data for the purpose of enforcing immigration laws or abortion-related restrictions. However, Giannoulias alleges that Flock gave U.S. Customs and Border Patrol access to Illinois data as part of a pilot program and failed to implement safeguards preventing out-of-state police from violating Illinois’ privacy protections.
In a statement, Giannoulias said the company’s actions “put them in direct violation of Illinois law.” He warned:
“We will not tolerate any violations to our data sharing and privacy laws. Moving forward, we encourage local law enforcement to closely examine their relationship with Flock and ensure that their use of this technology is compliant with the law.”
Although the law prohibits improper data sharing, it does not specify penalties for violations. Giannoulias’ office confirmed it is investigating the matter in coordination with the Illinois Attorney General.
At least one city, Evanston, has already deactivated its Flock cameras and started canceling its contract, calling the situation “deeply troubling.”
Flock, however, denied wrongdoing. In a blog post, CEO Garrett Langley admitted the company “clearly communicated poorly” and acknowledged it failed to create “distinct permissions and protocols” to ensure compliance with Illinois law. Langley said the company has paused all pilot programs with federal agencies and assigned its top lawyer to oversee new compliance tools.
Flock’s Presence in Illinois
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According to transparency reports, about 90 police departments in Illinois use Flock cameras.
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At least 27 departments disclose data-sharing details, with 14 listing specific agencies that have access.
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Over 461 Illinois agencies — including police departments, prosecutors, universities, and railroads — have some level of access to Flock data.
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The Illinois State Police (ISP) pays Flock about $50,000 annually for data access but does not operate Flock cameras or share its own data.
Flock cameras aren’t limited to the Chicago area; downstate cities like Champaign (46 cameras), Normal (51 cameras), and Springfield (135 cameras) also use them extensively.
Out-of-State Data Sharing Concerns
Transparency reports reveal that Illinois agencies share data with 551 out-of-state organizations, including law enforcement in Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Missouri, and Indiana, as well as federal entities like:
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U.S. Postal Inspection Service
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General Services Administration Office of Inspector General
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U.S. Air Force Base
Illinois law requires written declarations from out-of-state agencies, confirming they will not use Flock data to enforce abortion restrictions or immigration laws.
With the investigation ongoing, the future of Flock’s partnerships with Illinois police departments remains uncertain.
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