Residents press council to end 'Flock' license‑plate surveillance; veteran offers to help convene mental‑health response talks
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Summary
Sam Coffey urged Joliet officials to terminate use of 'Flock' license‑plate readers and stop data collection; veteran Jonathan Jeffers offered to volunteer to help convene a meeting on preparing law enforcement for encounters involving mental illness.
During public comment at the Jan. 6 council meeting, Sam Coffey called on the City of Joliet to terminate its use of Flock license‑plate reader cameras and to ensure all data collection and access cease. Coffey described risks to privacy, potential for misuse, insecure past incidents involving camera access and an internal misuse case in the Joliet Police Department, and said more than 125 residents had signed a petition to end the system.
Coffey said Flock cameras “continuously collect data on everyone who drives past” and warned that insecure access could allow stalkers, domestic abusers or other bad actors to obtain movement data. He urged the council to ensure termination included stopping private companies from collecting Joliet residents’ data.
Separately, veteran Jonathan Jeffers urged the council to convene stakeholders to improve how law enforcement handles encounters involving individuals with untreated mental illness. Jeffers described himself as willing to volunteer and to help convene meetings with city leaders and community partners to discuss feasible steps for training and collaboration.
The council heard both comments during the public‑comment period; members thanked speakers and referenced existing city programs and points of contact for next steps.
Next steps: speakers urged formal council consideration to review surveillance policy and to convene mental‑health discussions; no formal direction or vote on either topic was recorded at the Jan. 6 meeting.
