ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – Paul Foss holds the patent for Flock Safety’s automated license plate recognition systems. His fingers glide over marked sections accompanied by nearby notes.
Located next to Auburn Street on the western side of Rockford, he looks back and observes the dark pole next to him.
“The idea of a license plate reader is acceptable,” acknowledges the Rockford resident. The ALPR is mounted on the pole with a solar panel positioned above it. Its camera looks similar to a trail camera, featuring a faint Flock’s sapling logo.
“What people truly need to understand is what qualifies as their data,” emphasized Foss. Reading from the camera’spatent, he refers to the existence of searchable databases containing captured images categorized by individuals’ height, weight, and physical appearance.
Rockford has installed over 160 automatic license plate recognition systems near roadways, including one located at the intersection of Auburn Street and North Central Avenue, as well as in police cars. A map fromDeFlockdisplays locations submitted by users that have been identified throughout the community.
The city council is set to review and expand the service during Monday night’s meeting. After a break at the February 17 gathering, members will cast their vote on a $443,998.16 contract with Flock. Should it be approved, the deal will introduce 27 ALPRs and 7 intersection cameras in retail areas located in “our most vulnerable neighborhoods,” according to a statement.staff report.
Rockford’s cameras capture vehicle license plate numbers and save them in a database for use by law enforcement: Flock provides the equipment and technology, whereas the city retains ownership of the collected data. The numbers remain stored until authorities request a “ping” during an investigation.
Flock has recently come under scrutiny for claims of improper use of its data. InAugustAn investigation conducted by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias revealed that the tech company illegally provided data to federal border enforcement. It was also claimed that out-of-state law enforcement officers were searching for a woman who had recently undergone an abortion.
Amid the consequences, an increasing number of communities — includingEvanston— contracts with Flock that have been deactivated or canceled.National Public Radioat least 30 locations have departed the technology company since 2025. On Tuesday,Denvermoved to Axon for its location tracking cameras following the deterioration of Flock’s relationship with the city.
The American Civil Liberties Unioncriticizes automatic license plate readers for gathering “vast collections of location data on law-abiding drivers.”
“We are worried about a system of license plate readers that isn’t properly monitored,” said Ed Yohnka, director of communications and public policy at the ACLU Illinois. He supports local and state governments examining how data is secured.
“A clear public statement regarding how the system is intended to be utilized is necessary,” stated Yohnka.
An organized retail crime grant provided by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, totaling $111,000, will fund the initial year of the Flock expansion. Should it be renewed, the Rockford Police Department’s Intel Unit budget will cover the subsequent three years.
In the grant proposal, RPD’s Richard Gambini Jr. acknowledges Flock’s technology as “an essential resource for addressing crime and stopping future criminal behavior. Extending our LPR network into our most high-crime retail zones, [sic] will enable our department to investigate and resolve more cases that were once deemed unsolvable.”
Mayor Tom McNamara supports the advantages mentioned by local police. He notes that out of the city’s 12 murders in 2025, approximately 75% of the arrested suspects — or 8 individuals — were identified with the help of ALPRs.
They have received clear-cut support from our police department,” praised McNamara. However, he acknowledged that concerns are “valid.
If we need to modify it, that’s what we’ll do. I’m in favor of that.
McNamara argues that the Rockford’s Flock network removes data after 30 days and performs monthly reviews.
“We haven’t only begun conducting our audits since Secretary Giannoulias spoke up. We have been performing our audits,” he stated. The mayor also mentioned that the city restricts access to data from other agencies.
We are not disclosing that data. We are restricting the number of people who have access to it.
By submitting a public records request, WIFR acquired monthly audits from January 2024 to December 2025. An example provided is from November 2025, which includes hundreds of ALPR searches along with the stated reasons beginning on page 98.
Rockford Police Department November 2025 Flock Audit by nathanlangley40
Yohnka pointed out that communities with more “open” networks are vulnerable to data being accessed by unauthorized parties. He urged local areas to review the language in privacy agreements among themselves.
Are you certain that their privacy policies meet your standards? Because once more, if you provide your data to another party, your privacy policy effectively becomes their privacy policy.
The mayor of Rockford mentioned that he recognizes the need for careful examination of information gathering, citing “concerns” regarding the water department, emergency medical services, permit processes, body-worn cameras, and other areas.
You need to maintain this balance where you are providing these services, using the technology, but ensuring that you have the necessary policies, procedures, and contracts in place, so you’re not making these assumptions. That’s where people often run into problems.
Foss supports the mayor’s statements becoming tangible actions.
There are instances where mayors have made this exact statement, only to find out that Flock was utilizing their data regardless of their claims. I believe this directly connects back to customer data and what constitutes their data.
The inhabitant urges the council members to pay closer attention to the upcoming contract vote. He specifically requests leaders to review Flock’sterms and conditions.
“I want to make sure they don’t hurry this along,” said Foss.
Flock provided the following response to WIFR’s request for comment:
First, Flock has not faced any charges from Illinois authorities. Flock is proud of its collaborations with 450 law enforcement agencies in Illinois to assist them in solving crimes and locating missing individuals.
Flock’s License Plate Recognition (LPR) systems take snapshots of the back of vehicles on public roads. They cannot monitor a person’s entire movements, a conclusion that has been repeatedly affirmed by courts throughout the nation. We released a blog post about this subject this morning.
Flock has publicly stated that it does not have any agreements with ICE or CBP. There is no “back-door” access to Flock Safety’s systems.
Paris Lewbel, Public Relations Manager at Flock Safety
McNamara establishes a red line—explicitly criticizing the federal government for any possible misuse.
If they intend to misuse this information for anyone who calls the city of Rockford their home, I will be the first to take this down.
The city council will convene on Monday at 5:30 p.m. to vote on the Flock Safety contract. Additional details about the agreement are available.here.
