Local Leaders Provide Insight, Informa-
In a recent poll asking readers about being okay with the use of Flock cameras, 95 people voted 'no,' with 13 voting 'yes.' The Community News Brief sat down with Macomb Police Department Chief Todd Tedrow to learn more about Flock cameras and their purpose and where – and how – the data is used.
Last fall, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias launched an investigation into the automatic license plate reader company, Flock Safety, which is used by hundreds of police departments around Illinois, including in Macomb and McDonough County.
Giannoulias accused Flock Safety of breaking state law by allowing federal border enforcement officers to access Illinois license plate camera data. Flock Safety was also allegedly used by out-of-state police earlier last year to look for a woman who recently had an abortion, and that situation sparked the Secretary of State’s office to audit Flock.
License plate cameras can automatically detect the license plate, make, model and other details of cars while they're driving. These details are logged and entered into a database that can be searched and shared between law enforcement agencies and governments.
