ILLINOIS — Concerns are growing over the use of license plate reader technology in Illinois after the Secretary of State’s Office ordered Flock Safety, one of the nation’s largest operators, to stop sharing data with federal agencies.
Flock Safety has since paused operations with federal users, citing a communication error that led to unintentional data sharing.
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- 0.3 Hundreds of Illinois Police Departments Use Camera Company Accused of Violating State Law
- 1 Audit Reveals Unauthorized Data Sharing
- 2 Cities Ending Contracts
- 3 Flock Responds to Backlash
- 4 More Audits Likely
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said an audit revealed Flock Safety’s license plate data was illegally shared with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency through a pilot program.
“Company leadership was unaware of a pilot program … putting them in direct violation of Illinois law,” Giannoulias said.
The investigation began after Texas police allegedly accessed Illinois license plate data to track a woman seeking abortion care. Flock disputed this claim, saying the incident involved a missing person’s case and no abortion-related charges were filed.
Cities Ending Contracts
Following the audit, several Illinois suburbs have terminated contracts with Flock:
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Oak Park canceled its agreement earlier this month.
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Evanston announced Tuesday it had deactivated Flock’s cameras and issued a termination notice effective September 26, 2025.
In a statement, Evanston officials said:
“The findings … combined with Flock’s admission of failing to establish proper permissions and protocols … are deeply troubling.”
Flock Responds to Backlash
Flock’s chief legal officer Dan Haley said the issue stemmed from miscommunication within the company, not intentional misconduct.
“We had a limited pilot program with Customs and Border Protection … We’ve since fixed the issue and added safeguards to ensure compliance,” Haley stated.
The company emphasized that its mission remains to improve community safety while respecting civil liberties.
More Audits Likely
Giannoulias said other automatic license plate reader (ALPR) providers in Illinois may also face audits, though he declined to confirm whether additional companies are under investigation.
He warned that while license plate surveillance can help track criminals when used legally, misuse can pose serious risks to privacy and civil rights.
