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Residents press Wheeling board to mark police cars and remove Flock cameras over ICE and surveillance fears
Summary
Multiple residents used public comment to urge the village to require Wheeling PD vehicles be marked and to cancel or re-evaluate the Flock license-plate reader program, citing fear after sightings of unmarked cars and concerns about data sharing with federal immigration enforcement.
Several residents used the public comment period at the Feb. 2 Wheeling board meeting to press trustees on unmarked police vehicles and the village’s contract with the vendor known as Flock (license-plate–reader cameras).
Augustine Salgado thanked the board for passing Resolution 25-161 on Nov. 3, 2025, which he said ‘‘prohibits use of village owned parking lots, vacant lots, and garages . . . as staging areas, processing locations, or bases for civil immigration enforcement.’’ He called for continued transparency and cooperation with community groups such as the Wheeling Rapid Response Team to reduce resident fear when unmarked vehicles appear.
Tom Debit asked the board to take two steps: require that all Wheeling Police Department vehicles be marked and terminate the Flock contract and remove license-plate readers from village streets. Debit said the village has spent funds on the program over multiple years and warned that data retention creates a future risk of sharing with federal enforcement. "Mark all of their vehicles, send a message, stand with the people," he said.
Jennifer Avonze Alcantar, who has been updating the board on immigration enforcement activity since October, described families and residents affected by recent enforcement actions and asked for continued transparency and support for affected families.
Trustee Lang responded to the public comments by asking staff to re-check Flock’s use and compliance. "Can we please look at the use of that system once again and make sure that . . . the Flak [Flock] Corporation is using it properly?" Lang asked, directing staff to confirm proper use.
Why it matters: Citizens raised civil‑liberties and public-safety concerns tied to visible law enforcement presence and data-gathering technology. The comments included citations to a village resolution and claimed municipal spending; trustees asked staff to review the matter, which could prompt follow-up reports or future agenda items.
What’s next: Trustee Lang requested staff review of Flock system usage and compliance. The transcript records constituency concerns and a trustee request for staff verification, but no board decision to cancel or change the contract at this meeting.
Direct quotes from the public and trustees are from the transcript.
