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Darien residents urge curbs on Flock ALPRs as police cite recovered vehicles and missing-person cases
Summary
Public comment at the Darien City Council centered on privacy risks from Flock automated license-plate readers; residents asked for audits, short retention and warrant requirements while the police chief defended current use, citing stolen-car recoveries and an identified missing person.
A packed Darien City Council chamber on July 20 spent a substantial portion of public comment debating the city’s use of Flock automated license-plate reader (ALPR) cameras.
Several residents urged the council to halt or tightly restrict the program, citing state audits and news investigations alleging unauthorized searches and data sharing. Jeff Sturgeon asked the council to either remove the cameras or adopt stringent rules including seven-day retention limits, no sharing without a warrant for felony investigations, annual public audit logs and judicial authorization for historical searches. Richard Finley cited an Illinois audit and national reporting that, he said, showed vendor and agency misuse in other jurisdictions.
Chief Thomas and the police department responded: the chief said Darien currently operates 10 Flock cameras, has recovered roughly 14 stolen vehicles and located one missing person with assistance from camera data, and that audits required by state law are performed. He said the department is in compliance with Illinois law and that federal agencies such as ICE do not use Darien’s system. Council members said ALPR oversight and budget decisions are appropriate topics for committee and budget workshops.
Why it matters: Residents framed ALPRs as a mass-location surveillance risk that can be aggregated into long-term movement profiles; speakers pointed to municipalities that have suspended or terminated vendor contracts. Supporters and law enforcement said ALPRs are a cost-effective tool for recovering stolen cars and locating vulnerable missing people.
Council and next steps: Councilmembers acknowledged the concerns and pointed residents to the budget process and committee meetings where equipment purchases and renewals are discussed; one resident asked whether the public will have a role in the April budget workshops. The police committee reviewed ALPRs and the council deferred broader contract judgments to those forums while promising audit and oversight follow-up.
Representative exchanges:
- "If there was never a demonstrated need for the system in the first place, then the city should not spend public money building a mass location database it cannot fully control," said Jeff Sturgeon.
- Chief Thomas said Darien has seen benefits, including vehicle recoveries and a missing-person case, and that the department conducts audits and follows state law.
The council did not terminate or suspend the ALPR program at the meeting; the chief said the department is seeking to add six cameras in addition to the 10 in operation and that budget deliberations will guide future purchases.
