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Council defers Accurint/LexisNexis sole‑source contract after privacy concerns and police defense
Summary
Councilmember pulled a consent item authorizing a sole‑source purchase of Accurint (LexisNexis); police chief defended the tool’s investigative value while speakers and at least one councilmember raised privacy and civil‑liberties concerns. Council voted to defer the contract to Feb. 10 for further review and legal/IT briefings.
A consent-docket contract authorizing a sole‑source purchase of Accurint (LexisNexis Risk Solutions) drew extended attention and was pulled for separate consideration.
Councilmember (Ward 2) said she researched the vendor and cited reporting alleging the company had sold combined personal data to immigration authorities. "As you can see here, data broker LexisNexis Risk Solutions allegedly violated Illinois law by collecting and combining extensive personal information and selling it to third parties, including federal immigration authorities," the councilmember said during her remarks.
Police Chief Bassey told the council the department uses Accurint as an investigative tool that has materially aided homicide clearance and other investigations. "We've had an amazingly successful use of this product," he said, adding that police IT and city IT review purchases before adoption.
Several councilmembers said they wanted more detail about data protections and municipal counsel suggested briefings on privacy protections and contract safeguards. The council voted to defer the item to the Feb. 10 meeting to allow staff to brief members and to consult with municipal counsel.
The deferral preserves the council’s ability to review the contract language, vet data-handling safeguards, and consider alternative vendors or contract terms before any purchase is finalized.
