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Crystal Lake resident urges suspension of Flock Safety license-plate readers after Illinois audit
Summary
A Crystal Lake resident told council the city should suspend its use of Flock Safety ALPR cameras after an Illinois Secretary of State audit found alleged data sharing with federal authorities; councilors and staff said they will review local practices but did not announce immediate action.
A Crystal Lake resident told the City Council on Nov. 4 that the city should immediately suspend its use of Flock Safety automated license-plate reader (ALPR) cameras pending an independent, transparent review.
Josh Boldman, who identified himself as a Crystal Lake resident of nine years, told the council he’d learned of an August 2025 Illinois Secretary of State audit that he said found Flock Safety had allowed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to access Illinois license-plate data. “That law was written, passed, and signed to ensure Illinois drivers aren't monitored or profiled by outside agencies without cause and yet that's exactly what happened,” Boldman said.
Boldman quoted a conversation with a department sergeant, saying Sgt. Lloyd Meadus told him that “FLOT gives the Crystal Lake Police Department the equivalent of having 10,000 officers on the street.” Boldman framed that claim as an example of the surveillance power at stake and asked the council to “suspend the use of all Flock cameras immediately until an independent transparent review confirms that the system fully complies with Illinois law and protects the privacy of every resident.” He added, “If compliance can't be guaranteed, Crystal Lake should end its partnership with Flock altogether.”
Council members and staff acknowledged the concern. One councilor said Chief Black previously told the council the city’s retention policy limited routine access to roughly 30 days and that only a limited number of staff could access the data; another councilor said she planned to follow up with the chief after the meeting to clarify those points. Staff did not announce any immediate suspension or formal investigation during the Nov. 4 session.
Why it matters: Boldman cited an Illinois Secretary of State audit and a cited provision of the Illinois Vehicle Code (transcript cites “ILCS 5/11-2.12” and related 2023 changes) as the legal basis for his concern. If a vendor or a local agency’s data-sharing practices run afoul of state law, municipalities can face legal and reputational consequences. Boldman’s request puts the city on notice and asks for public confirmation of contractual and technical safeguards.
What the council said: Several council members said the audit at the state level merited review at the local level. One member recalled asking similar questions at the time the cameras were first approved — specifically about retention length, who has access, and how long data is kept — and said those answers (limited retention, access only for investigations) informed the original decision. No member moved to suspend or terminate the contract at the meeting.
What’s next: The council did not schedule a public vote or a formal review during the Nov. 4 meeting. Councilors indicated staff follow-up (including clarifying the city’s retention and access controls and discussing the state audit findings with the police chief) would be the immediate next step. The issue may return to the council if staff finds evidence of noncompliance or if members request a formal review or ordinance change.
Sources: Public comment by Josh Boldman at the Nov. 4, 2025 Crystal Lake City Council meeting; in-meeting remarks referencing an August 2025 Illinois Secretary of State audit and a cited Illinois vehicle-code provision (as stated in the transcript).
